One Last War to Fight
by Knight Writer Thundercat
Summary: An ancient weapon awakens on Third Earth, and the war it sparks will change the lives of the ThunderCats and their allies forever. A weapon held by a young man with no memory of his past named Sho Fukamachi.
1. Awakening

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War To Fight

-

The brackish waters in the ancient couldron roiled and frothed as Mumm-Ra stood before it. His ancient, decrepit hands lashed out over the raging pool as the magic calmed the fluid enough to see.  
The devil priest saw the raging storm outside the walls of the Black Pyramid, torrents of rain beating mercilessly down on the Korath Mountains, an area that had been dead since the fall of Second Earth over two thousand years past. It had once been the site of a wondrous city during the Golden Age of Man, laid to waste in its final war. A war only Mumm-Ra remembered.  
"Can it be?" he muttered into the chill air of the tomb chamber. His ashen fingers gestured over the pool, commanding a closer image. All he saw was strange energy.  
"Hm. Even now, the powers once unleashed there cloud my sight." Mumm-Ra dismissed the image, calling up instead a view of Cat's Lair. The home of his hated enemies, the ThunderCats, stood majestic in the middle of Nature's wrath.  
For the first time in his thousands of years of un-life, Mumm-Ra was puzzled. What had made the Ancient Spirits of Evil rouse him from his rest? Nothing that lived could venture into those cursed peaks without themselves succumbing to a most horrible death. What in all the hells...  
An idea came to him. An idea that was as terrible as it was unthinkable. It was simply impossible.  
"Bah," he said. "Am I not proof that nothing is impossible?"  
That clinched it. Something had survived that titanic clash of powers two millennia ago, remained in stasis. Now, it had awakened. Mumm-Ra searched the depths of his memory, dredging up the two combatants whose battle had nearly blighted Second Earth, and whose children haunted the world ever since.  
"Alkanphel," he said at length. Now THERE was someone who had shown promise! Mumm-Ra had felt a certain kinship with that one. Both beings of astounding power, but only for a while at a time. The other... the other... The name escaped him, but the weapon did not.  
"Guyver..." Mumm-Ra turned and shuffled to his sarcophagus, mulling over what it could mean. If such a terrifying weapon had survived, and was again within his reach... "Geh, heh heh heh... I will wait, and I will see. Time means nothing to the Ever Living..."

-

Lion-O had never been the type to brood, but that didn't stop him this time. He was alone in the empty control chamber, seated before the main console. The evening watch shift, which he had drawn this week, was almost over. Judging from the smells wafting from the kitchen, Snarf was doing his level best to out-cook his usually good stuff. If nothing else, Lion-O's former nursemaid was one hell of a chef.  
For once, he wasn't all that hungry.  
"Run scan on all sectors," he said while inputting the proper commands with his fingers, "full intensity." One more scan before setting the system to auto...  
"Lord Lion-O?"  
"GAH!" The Lord of the ThunderCats whirled about in his seat, only to find Lynx-O standing in the open doorway.  
"I am sorry if I startled you," the eldest ThunderCat said as he drew nearer.  
"No, no. That's okay."  
"Is something bothering you?  
"Not really..."  
"No disrespect, Lord Lion-O," the old Thunderian said, "but being blind does not mean I cannot see. You are obviously troubled."  
"You're right," Lion-O conceeded. Sometimes the lynx's insight was downright eerie. "The Mutants haven't bothered us for some time, now."  
"Nearly three weeks," Lynx-O replied. "This has you worried."  
"Not that I'm complaining or anything," Lion-O added hastily, "but it does have me a little concerned. They've never gone this long without harrassing us."  
"Have you told this to the others?" the lynx asked, his sightless eyes locked on the younger's.  
"No, not yet. I guess I should."  
"Ah. Will you do so over dinner? Your shift ended ten minutes ago."  
"Yeah. I'll be there in a minute."  
"Very well, Lord Lion-O."  
The young lion watched as Lynx-O walked away, and listened to the nearly subliminal humming of the control room's myraid of equipment and sensor arrays. The recent inactivity of the Mutants did have him concerned, but it wasn't the whole problem.  
Lion-O didn't even know what the whole problem was, for the matter. Just a feeling of dread that grew from his stomach and stretched into his entire body. That was what he couldn't explain. Maybe Cheetara could...  
No. Her trance visions were far too hard on her for him to request one over merely a bad feeling, and all the Eye of Thundera had shown him were four gloriously drunken Mutants.  
"Lynx-O's right," he muttered, rising from his seat. "I should tell the others about it."

Dinner passed as it often did in Cat's Lair. The other ThunderCats talked of the day's events, the harvest of Thundrillium, the kid's time with the Berbils or on their space boards, the condition of the ThunderTank...  
Lion-O paid little attention while he ate. Sooner or later, he would have to bring this up.  
"Lion-O," Snarf said from the left, "you've hardly touched your food. Something wrong, shnarf shnarf?"  
He suddenly felt everyone's eyes upon him, and realized it was now or never.  
"Something has been bothering you lately," Tygra said.  
"What's up?" added Panthro.  
"The Mutants have been way too quiet lately," Lion-O replied, looking up to the faces of the ThunderCats. "I'm a bit worried about that."  
"It's been refreshing," Cheetara said with a grin, "but you may have a point."  
"It's too much to hope they finally gave up," WilyKat said after swallowing a mouthful of grilled squash.  
"Wouldn't it be nice, though?" his sister added.  
"Surely they realize," Pumyra said from the opposite end of the table, "that they can't win?"  
"We may have them outnumbered," Tygra replied, "but they also have that demon Mumm-Ra on their side."  
"Shnaaaarf..."  
"Have you looked through the sword?"  
"Yes, Panthro. All I saw were Slythe and his cronies staggering around completely blitzed." Lion-O shook his head. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."  
"Where Mumm-Ra is concerned," Cheetara said grimly, "one almost can't help it."  
"I don't mean to be rude," WilyKit interjected, "but can we steer the conversation away from this?"  
"Yeah, it's gettin' us all down."  
"You're right, kids," Lion-O replied with a grin. "If the Mutants and Mumm-Ra try anything, we'll be ready for it."  
Dinner resumed its pleasant cadence after a few moments, and Lion-O's appetite returned gradually. However, his eyes found themselves wandering down to the Sword of Omens at his hip as if waiting for the Eye within to growl.

-

The storm had abated early that morning, leaving the sky a brilliant shade of blue and the earth under a blanket of evaporating rainwater. Willa stepped out onto one of the enormous branches from her hut and breathed deeply. There were few things better than the smell of rain-drenched leaves and grass after a ferocious storm, and the queen of the Warrior Maidens fully intended to enjoy it.  
Her bare feet found purchase on the smooth bark with ease born of experience while she trod the thick branch. Moisture glistened over every surface, dripping from the gargantuan leaves of the jungle canopy above the Treetop Kingdom. A stray drop landed on her nose and Willa wiped it off absently before glancing down to the grass below.  
"Looks like a Mandroga Flower found its breakfast," she muttered, crouching down on the limb. The carnivorous bloom's pastel pink petals were spread out, its three tentacles speared into the brush ahead and pulling in its latest meal. What few travellers that came through here knew to give the Mandrogas a wide berth, but the lethal blooms still managed to ensnare the occaisional deer or even unicorn.  
The form emerged from the underbrush, and Willa gasped. It was no animal. The clothes were torn, even charred in spots, hanging loosely on the boy's thin frame. He offered no resistance as the Mandroga drew him nearer. Even if he had been conscious, he could never have broken free, as weak as he appeared.  
The vine was in her hand before she could even think about it. Willa swung down to the slick grass, her free hand groping for her knife. If she could sever the flower's tentacles in time, she could get the boy to safety.  
She hit the forest floor at almost a run, gleaming blade ready to cut the strange boy loose. At a closer look, Willa saw he was not merely thin, but practically emaciated. His flesh was pale white in stark contrast to his mop of black hair. A fine layer of stubble covered his chin, as if he were barely old enough for a beard.  
Those thoughts were pushed aside as her dagger whistled and the Mandroga's tentacles were cut. Willa jumped back on instinct, knowing that even what remained of those vine-like growths was enough to ensnare her and draw her within.  
"Are you all right?" she asked while removing the tentacles that had once spelled his doom. The strange boy did not answer, merely shivered in the cool morning air. His clothes and skin were soaked and, as sick as he looked already, could be just as deadly as the Mandroga she had just saved him from.  
"Willa!" shouted Sara, another Warrior Maiden, from the branch she herself had recently vacated.  
"Sara! Summon the healer! This boy is deathly ill!" Willa shouted as she slung him over her shoulder. How light he was! His shoulders dangled over her breasts, and she saw his back through a rip in his shirt. Two unusual growths rested between his shoulderblades as if something had embedded itself beneath the skin.  
"I shall ready a ladder!" Sara shouted before running toward the hut of old Analee. A coil of rope unfurled from the treetops as she passed, forming a ladder of rough hemp that dangled just over the grass.  
"Hold on, stranger," Willa said as she ran toward the ladder. This boy was barely a man yet! What was he doing out here on his own?

-

Slythe watched impatiently as Vultreman and Jackalman set up the device amid the trees.  
"Isss it ready yet?"  
"In another moment, Slythe," Jackalman replied as he reached back into the exposed guts of the circular device.  
"The thundrainium field generator is delicate!" Vultureman sqwawked as he adjusted another component. "We must be sure it is at peak operating efficency!"  
"Those Thunderbrats will be here at any time!" Slythe barked.  
"There!" Vultureman shouted as he shut one of the small side panels on the ring-shaped device. "It's ready!"  
"Good, yesss!"  
"Slythe!" Monkian shouted over the radio, "They're coming!"  
"Hide! Our plan beginssss."

"Betcha can't catch me!" WilyKit shouted with a wink before pulling out ahead of her brother.  
"This isn't a race!" WilyKat replied as he steered his spaceboard between a stand of trees. "We're checking out a Thundrillium deposit here, remember?"  
"Aw, we're still over a mile away from that! Bet I can get there before you!"  
"You're on!" WilyKat increased the power, his spaceboard rocketing off after his twin sister. She was a better rider, but WilyKat had been through here before and knew a few good... short...cutsssss...  
"Wily...Kat..." he heard her say from just ahead.  
"Kit..." Why did he feel so sick, so weak...  
Thundrainium!  
"Turrn... ohh..." The last thing WilyKat saw was WilyKit falling off her spaceboard seconds before him.

It isss done," Slythe said as he stepped out from his cover of bushes. "The Thunderkittens are down and out."  
"I say we kill them now!" Jackalman cried, raising his club.  
"No, idiot!" Slythe shouted. "We need them!"  
"Slythe is right," Vultreman added as the Plundarrian Jackal lowered his weapon. "We will bind them for now."  
"Do it quickly," Slythe said as he handed over the rough ropes. "The other catsss will know that their own are in danger." He watched as Vultureman and Jackalman bent the Thunderkitten's wrists behind them and began to wrap coils of rope around them. "Make sssure their bonds hurt, yesss?"  
"Oh, we will!" Jackalman chuckled as he tied WilyKit's arms cruelly behind her back and Vultureman powered down the thundrainium field generator.

-

Willa stood by, watching the healer Analee as she tended to the frail-looking boy. His ruined clothing had been removed, showing a body that once looked to have decent muscle tone.  
Analee, by far the oldest woman in the Treetop Kingdom, knelt by his head and placed her slender fingers on his temples. Her bright green eyes were narrowed in concentration, giving clear definition to the crow's feet at their corners. The simple blue robe she wore pooled on the floor where she knelt, concealing a body which had succumbed to the inevitablity of old age. Her mind, on the other hand, was still sharp as a good blade.  
"Curious," she said. "Very curious."  
"How is he, Analee?"  
"This boy appears not to have any disease," she answered, "at least none that I am familiar with." Analee rose, bracing her thin hands on her knees and grunting softly. "He is, however, suffering from exposure, not to mention malnutrition and dehydration."  
"His clothes, or what was left of them, looked strange. I've never seen the like of them."  
"Nor have I. He was unconscious when you found him?"  
"Yes. A Mandroga almost made a meal out of him." Willa stooped down to pull the blanket up to his chin. "What do you make of those growths on his back?"  
"All I know for certain is that they are not tumors," Analee said as she walked about the room. "His energy, however, was indeed peculiar..."  
"How so?"  
"It was normal until I inspected the growths." Analee stopped at a rack of colored bottles and herbs and chose a green vial before continuing. "Their energy was... alien, I guess you could say."  
"Alien?" Willa immediately thought of the Mutants that had landed with the ThunderCats.  
"The boy is human," Analee said as she shuffled back toward him. "But the other energy seemed to be reaching out to something, connected to a force I could not see."  
"What do you mean, Analee?"  
"I do not know for sure. My skills as a healer are formidable, but my gift for reading life energies is limited."  
"Can you tell if he is a threat?"  
"Perhaps he is, perhaps he isn't."  
"In other words, no." Willa looked down at him again, this time with a healthy dose of mistrust.  
"Now, now, young one," Analee chided gently. "I did not say that he's a danger. He is, on the other hand, an oddity."  
"If he is..." Analee's look made Willa re-think her words. "If he MAY be a threat, I have to know. I cannot endager the other Warrior Maidens!"  
"Right now, this boy is no danger to anyone."  
"Even so, I will be watching him closely."  
"As you wish. You may begin by giving him this." Analee handed over the vial. "He needs water and nutrients."  
Willa tilted his head and gradually poured the blueish mixture into his mouth, wondering all the while if saving him from that Mandroga Flower had really been such a good idea.

-

Slythe grinned - a sight not for the faint of heart - as the Thunderbrats were lashed tightly to posts Monkian and Jackalman had hammered into the hard-packed floor of the desert earlier. The thundrainium field generator had been a stroke of genius, the fact that it worked a matter of sheer luck, and had performed admirably. Two of the cats were theirs, and the others would soon share that fate.  
Afterward... well... who said they had to turn them over to Mumm-Ra? Killing them would be by far safer than keeping them as prisoners. Yes, best to get rid of them once and for all.  
"Mmmmm... MmmmMPH!"  
"Well said, Kitten hoo-HOO!" Monkian said as he strapped the packages of explosive around their chests.  
"Wishing you had these, yesss?" Slythe said as he held their belts out toward them. Their slitted eyes glared daggers at him. "Fat lot of good they'll do you now!"  
"It's ready," Vultureman said as he finished burying the device beneath some loose sand. "Once they try a rescue, they'll be helpless!"  
"You just keep comfy," Jackalman teased, "and wait for the ThunderCats to meet their doom!"  
"Let'sss get out of here, yess? The catsss will be here any minute! And the ssun is drying my ssskin!"

WilyKit fought past the constant pain in her shoulders from having her arms tied so closely together. She had to get free, she just had to! Whatever that weird Mutant machine was, it generated pure thundrainium. The others wouldn't have a chance!  
"MMMMMMMM!"  
The ropes refused to budge even an inch, merely digging tighter into her skin with each second spent struggling. If nothing else, those Mutants knew how to tie knots!  
She glanced over at her brother and was dismayed to find that he was having as little luck against his bonds as she was against hers. They were trapped. Completey and hopelessly trapped.

Kit looked nervously down to the heavy grey box, secured on her torso by four thick straps that ran around behind the pole. A single yellow light began to blink on and off atop the strange device.  
BOMB! she cried silently. She renewed her struggles, screaming into the damp cloth between her teeth all along until her strength fled her again. That thundrainium machine had been switched on, she realized.  
Wilykit looked again at her brother, and they both exchanged terrified stares.

-


	2. Blood on the Sand

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Two

-

In the last episode:

The Ancient Spirits of Evil roused Mumm-Ra, showing him the Korath Mountains. The Mountains were the site of Second Earth's final downfall, where nothing living can go and Mumm-Ra's sight cannot penetrate. Early the next morning, Willa of the Warrior Maidens rescues a strange boy from a lethal Mandroga Flower and brings him to the old healer, Analee.  
WilyKit and Wilykat, on their way to check out a Thundrillium deposit, are ambushed and captured by the Mutants and their new Thundrainium generator. They find themselves bound and gagged in the middle of the Desert of Sinking Sands, weakened by the new weapon and with explosives strapped to their bodies.

-

He watched from on high, staring down at the endless wasteland of desert that, at one time, had covered nearly the entire planet after the last battle. He knew he should move on, that the scene below held no concern for him, yet could not help but be transfixed.  
He knew of the Mutants; Slythe, Monkian, Jackalman, and Vultureman, and had for some time. He also knew of the ThunderCats, aliens from a world that had been destroyed who had crashed on Third Earth. From time to time he had even watched the two battle it out, but had never interfered. What would have been the point?  
So why the hell was he thinking of doing just that right now?  
Even from his altitude he could hear the muffled cries of the two below. They were terrified - not that they didn't have good reason - and their struggles were growing ever weaker. How long before the others of their kind got here? He looked in the direction of their Cat's Lair, and saw no rescue forthcoming. Those ThunderCats likely didn't know yet.  
How long have they been down there? he thought as he looked back to the two children. He could see the sweat running off of them in rivulets, dehydrating them at a dangerous pace. He focused even closer, and could register their body heat rising quickly. Those two were on the fast track to heat stroke.  
"That's the least of their worries," he muttered on looking at the bombs the two wore.  
"Slythe to Vultureman," he heard a reptilian voice say, "turn off the generator."  
"Caaawwww! What?"  
"You heard me! The heat has them weak enough! We want the Thunderbrats ALIVE when the Catsss show up, yesss!"  
He had trouble deciding which voice was the most annoying.  
"Caaw. We can always re-activate it when the BlunderCats get here."  
Not very good with insults, either, he thought.  
He knew he should leave. The ThunderCats would be here soon - one of their airborne vehicles was already approaching, his extra sensors told him - and he didn't want to hang around in Mumm-Ra's territory any longer than he had to.  
"... mmmmmph...mmmhmmm..."  
He looked down at them again. One of them, the female, was shedding tears of impotent fury, losing even more of her body's rapidly dwindling fluids. He felt something pull at him, then, deep in his heart. The decision was made.  
He would at least make sure those damn bombs were no longer a factor.

"Caaaw! They're coming!" Vultureman shrieked as he spotted the ThunderClaw streaking across the deep blue sky, far away from the Black Pyramid. "Lion-O and Tygra are aboard!"  
"Good, yesss," Slythe replied over the radio. "Remember the plan! Once they land, turn the Thundrainium generator back to full!"  
"Hoo-HOO! And... And when we get the Sword of Omens, blast them into chunks!"  
"I KNOW the plan, Monkian! I..."  
"They're almost here!" Jackalman shouted.  
Vultureman watched as the ThunderClaw came to rest on the hard clay surface, kicking up clouds of loose sand and grit while Slythe stepped out in the open.  
"RELEASE THEM!" he heard Lion-O roar. The Sword of Omens was in his hand in a flash.  
"Bombs!" the tiger exclaimed. His furious, burning eyes fixed on the squat reptillian. "This time you've..."  
With an insane cackle, Vultureman triggered the Thundrainium generator. His cackle grew into gales of laughter when at once Lion-O and Tygra staggered as if phsyically struck. Oh, this was too good to be...  
"Placing explosives on children," a low voice snarled from behind. "You are one sick motherfucker."  
"CAAAW!" Vultureman spun in fright, seeing only empty desert. Where had that...  
He was powerless to move, even to think, as it appeared. Black armor over an orange fibrous material covered its huge frame - easily bigger than Monkian - and those pitiless white eyes beneath that strange medallion...  
The cry for help died before it could form in Vultureman's throat when two long, curving blades grew from its left arm. He was almost mesmerized at the way they shimmered, as if vibrating far too fast to be seen.  
It was the last thing Vultureman ever saw.

Well, that was certainly a gruesome spectacle, he thought as he beheld what remained of the Mutant Vultureman. Not that he didn't have it coming, though.  
"Been a long time since I last killed," he whispered while the lizard demanded something called the Sword of Omens. "Better be careful. I could get to like it. Again."  
He re-cloaked - that little trick had taken a long time to learn - and saw the two Thundercats almost on their knees as the reptile mocked them. At his feet were two controls, one for that Thundrainium machine, the other a detonator.  
He smashed the one with the more complex-looking displays and was rewarded with the sight of the lion and the tiger almost instantly regaining their strength.  
"I guess my work's done here," he muttered as he rose back into the sky, unseen by those on the ground. Now to find Sho, and hope that Mumm-Ra had been taking a nap when he had de-cloaked.

-

"Thunder! Thunder! THUNDER!"  
"Oh, shit," Jackalman cringed.  
"THUNDERCATS! HOOOOO!"  
Slythe took a few involuntary steps backward as the ThunderCat signal roared into the sky. How close were the others? Who cared? If he wasn't going to get the Sword of Omens, then the cats wouldn't have it either!  
"VULTUREMAN!" he cried over the radio! "DETONATE THE EXPLOSIVESSS!"

The world seemed to freeze on that instant. Lion-O's heart felt as if it had stopped dead in his chest. Tygra's jaw had dropped open, his face a mask of complete horror. The kittens each cringed in their bonds and squeezed their eyes shut against their coming doom.  
It took fully ten seconds for everyone to realize that nothing had happened. Wilykit and Wilykat both slowly opened their eyes, unsure if they were indeed still alive.  
"VULTUREMAN! SSSET OF THE DAMNED BOMBSSSS! NOW!"  
Still there was nothing.  
"Looks like your plan hit a snag," Lion-O snarled. The Sword of Omens was levelled at Slythe's head, and the Thundrillium-melting glare on the ThunderCat's face burned into the Mutant's own.  
Quick as a snake, Slythe turned and ran for his Nosediver. He could hear Lion-O in hot pursuit, driving the reptillian on even harder until he leapt aboard the idling machine and roared off toward Castle Plundarr. Doubtless Monkian and Jackalman had already bugged out. As for Vultureman, he'd deal with that incompetent bird-brain later!

"AAAAHHH, DAMN!" Lion-O screamed as Slythe made his getaway.  
"Lion-O!" he heard Tygra shout. "Over here!" He trotted back over to where Kat and Kit were as Tygra removed the gag from the latter.  
"Lion-O..." she croaked, "T-Tygra..." Her words were lost amid a fit of coughing while the tiger examined her and then her brother while Lion-O freed his jaw.  
"By Jaga..." he growled. "They're dehydrated. Not far away from heatstroke, either! Lion-O!" he barked, turning toward him. "There's some water in the ThunderClaw's storage compartment! Get it here!"  
Lion-O merely nodded before charging off to the dormant vehicle.  
"They... waiting..." Wilykat managed.  
"Sssh. Don't talk, Kat," Tygra replied in his most gentle voice. "You and Kit are going to be alright."  
"Can you untie us?"  
Tygra looked down at the packet of explosives strapped to Kat's chest. The only way to free him and Kit from those posts would be to remove the bombs. The yellow lights on their fronts were still blinking. The damn things were still armed. As weak as the two kittens looked, those ropes were about the only thing keeping them upright.  
"As soon as I can," Tygra said to him. He would wait for Panthro to arrive and disarm the bombs first.  
"At least..." a short spasm of coughing burst from his chest. Tygra placed his hands on the boy's shoulders until it passed. "At least cut Kit's arms free?"  
"Sure thing." Tygra smiled and hoped it looked more genuine than it felt. He saw Lion-O approach with a flask of water and head for Kit.  
"Here you go," the lion said. Wilykit stared in anticipation at the cool water as if it were the absolute finest thing she would ever experience.  
"How cold is it?"  
"Pretty chilly, Tygra."  
"Don't give her too much. Two sips, and then for Wilykat."  
"Why?"  
Tygra bit back a sharp remark. This wasn't the time. "Lion-O, their temperatures are dangerously high. Too much cold water in their systems at once could send them into complete shock."  
"I understand." he tipped the flask to Kit's lips and let her drink exactly two sips before taking it away. "How do you feel, Kit?"  
"Like hell..." An embarassed look crossed her face at the slip. "Um... sorry."  
"Hey, I didn't hear it," Lion-O said with a grin.  
"I'll take care of WilyKat," Tygra said, taking the flask from Lion-O. "Kit, we're going to cut your arms free, but you have to promise not to touch the bomb. Okay?"  
"Sure. No problem."  
Lion-O shrank the Sword of Omens to its normal size and walked around behind the post. He nearly cursed at the amount of rough rope and brutal hitches and knots that nearly had her elbows together. Oh, he would make Slythe pay for this...  
The sword easily sliced through the bonds and Wilykit's arms flopped to her sides. He immediately set to undoing the coils that still remained, massaging her arms as he went to get the blood flowing through them again. Several angry red marks remained from where the hemp had been, many changing color into bruises. Lion-O forced his anger down as he finished. Barely.  
"They're not going to get away with this," he said to no one in particular just as the roar of the ThunderTank's engine filled the air. Panthro and Cheetara leapt out, the former with a curse, before sprinting over to the kittens.  
"Jaga be DAMNED! What happened?"  
"We weren't playing around," Wilykat said. His voice was weaker now, almost dreamy.  
"The Mutants ambushed them," Lion-O explained. "Right now, we need to get these bombs off of them and fast!"  
"I'm on it," Panthro replied, fury burning in his eyes as he went back to the tank. "ALWAYS those damn Mutants!"  
"Cheetara, is that tarp still in the back of the ThunderTank?"  
"Yes, Tygra," she said, wiping sweat off her brow. It had to be at least one hundred-twenty degrees.  
"Get it and anything we can use to hold it up. We need to keep the sun off of them!"  
Cheetara wasted no time in following Tygra's instructions as he poured a little water in his hand and let it rain on Kat's forehead. He did the same for Kit just as the ThunderStrike came into view.  
Lion-O watched all of this happening when it hit him. Only three Mutants had escaped, and Vultureman had not been among them. Vultureman was the one with the detonator. Oh, no...  
"WAIT!" he bellowed, startling everyone.  
"What is it?" Cheetara asked, eyes wide.  
"Vultureman didn't escape with the others!"  
"And?" Panthro growled as he laid out his tools.  
"He has the detonator!"  
Everyone froze as the same conclusion hit them at once. They might have just played into the Mutant's hands!  
"Get back!" Panthro yelled. "I'll get to work on these bombs!"  
"Bombs?"  
"What the..."  
Lion-O ignored Bengali and Pumyra's startled inquiries, instead bringing the Sword of Omens to his face. He had to act fast!  
"Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight!" And please tell me he's not about to push that button! Lion-O silently ammended.  
The Eye of Thundera became his own, showing him a shallow trench dug into the cracked surface of this part of the desert. The detonator was there, but where was Vultureman?  
"Half a mile, due east!"  
"I'm there!" The words were barely out of Cheetara's mouth before a cloud of dust was all that signalled she had gone.

The cheetah sprinted, pushing the hyper-strong muscles in her legs as the desert went past in a blur.  
Please, she prayed to any kind-hearted diety that was listening, let me be fast enough to stop this!  
She slowed just enough to get a good bead on the top of the trench before letting her staff fly like a javelin. She arrived at the edge just as it hit blood-soaked clay and let out a startled yelp.

"This is Cheetara," her voice said from the ThunderTank. "I'm at the trench. Vultureman's in no shape to set off the bombs."  
"What do you mean?" Bengali asked, still puzzled and a little frightened from the surreal scene he had walked in on.  
"Believe it or not, Vultureman has been bisected."  
Panthro took all of this in as he finished defusing Wilykit's bomb and barely hid a smile. He immediately got to work on the second while Lion-O freed her and with Tygra carried her to the ThunderStrike which Lynx-O had insisted they use.  
"You just hold on, son," Panthro said as he opened the bomb casing. "You and your sister are gonna be fine."  
"Panthro, hurry!"  
"What do you think I'm doing, Tygra?!" He focused on the jumble of wires in front of him, tuning out all distractions. This damn thing may not be set off remotely, but a mistake would prove just as fatal.  
At the ThunderStrike, Tygra set Wilykit gently down into the seat of the left pod before checking her pulse. It was fast and thready, a sure sign of heat stroke. Her breathing was shallow, rapid, her eyes staring at things that weren't even there. The thundrainium generator - yet to be unearthed - had to have been the cause of such a rapid onset. He vaulted into the vehicle's main cockpit just as Lion-O closed the one on the left pod. With one hand he engaged the air conditioning in both pods while the other accessed the communications array and hailed Cat's Lair.  
"Shneyarf, what's going on?"  
"Listen, Snarf," Tygra barked. "Prepare the infirmary. Fill two of the canvas tubs with cold water, and load up as much ice in them as we have!"  
"Sure thing, Tygra..." the rest of Snarf's reply was cut off as he watched Panthro defuse Wilykat's bomb. Pumyra was busily running water over his brow, actually up-ending the flask just as Panthro finished his work.  
"Done!" he heard the panther shout before literally tearing Kat's ropes away with his claws.  
Tygra immediately opened the right pod as he prepared the ThunderStrike for takeoff. The poor kittens were already suffering from the first stages of heatstroke, and if he didn't get them there fast...  
"Loaded!" Panthro shouted as he slammed shut the lid on Wilykat's pod. "Get movin'!"

-

Mumm-ra watched all this from within the confines of his tomb chamber. He paid little heed to Ma-Mutt as the scrying pool showed him one of the Thunderian vehicles lifting off from the edge of the desert. HIS desert.  
"Accursed Mutants," he said aloud. It had been a good plan, one almost worthy of him, but had failed. It could have succeeded, as well, if not for one small mishap. The Mutant with the kitten's lives in his hands had met an untimely and overly messy end.  
Mumm-ra quickly reviewed what Slythe would say.  
"We only did it for YOU, Mighty Mumm-Ra!"  
"We felt your desert the perfect place."  
"We should have consulted you..."  
All merely lines of horseshit that were almost as old as the Ancient Spirits of Evil. They had wanted the Eye of Thundera for themselves, the ungrateful miscreants!  
Under other, less strange, circumstances, Mumm-Ra would have merely disposed of them. However, this recent incident had brought something most interesting to light. To think that a Guyver had been loose on Third Earth all along! Hiding himself from Mumm-Ra's sight was no small feat.  
"I will allow them to live a while longer," he cackled. "After all, those Mutants make the perfect targets." But, he would let them know of his displeasure...

-

Willa sat cross-legged on the floor of Analee's hut, barely a few feet from the still-sleeping boy. His breathing had become more regular, she had noted with some relief, and the color was beginning to return to his features. Even Analee - who had checked on him only a few minutes ago - had been a little surprised. She had figured the medicine would take a few days to really work, and only after two or three more doses. The boy was obviously stronger than either of the women had thought.  
Willa once more thought of the weird things on his back, and what Analee had said about them. He may be a threat, or he may not be. The healer was not one who spoke in riddles, so why would she now? No, it was the truth. Neither woman had enough information to tell one way or the other. Willa had decided not to tell the other Warrior Maidens about it. There was no need to start a panic over something that might mean nothing.  
But she would not leave this boy's side until she knew for certain, which was why she was searching through the things he carried in this folding contraption they had found in his pants. A few brightly colored pieces of paper were in the main pocket, their purpose Willa could only guess at. One pocket held images of other people. An older man who bore a strong resemblance to him, obviously his father. A large boy with strange spectacles over his eyes and a hearty grin. A young - rather attractive - girl whose smile was healthy and bright. The boy's own picture was in there as well, on a shiny card with strange symbols on it. Willa was literate as were all the other Warrior Maidens - just because they lived in trees did not make them savages and woe to anyone who thought so - but she had never seen a language like this before.  
"Are you going to be in here all day?" Nayda asked from the doorway, startling her older sister.  
"How long have you been there?"  
"Only a few moments," Nayda replied as she entered the hut. "You must be awfully worried about him."  
"You could say that."  
"Careful, Willa," Nayda said with a wink, "you might make Lion-O jealous."  
"Nayda!"  
"I'm only joking!"  
"Well, it's not very funny."  
"You must admit, he's handsome." Nayda continued.  
"If you want him, feel free." Both women began to giggle then. Nayda always enjoyed ribbing her older sister about Lion-O, even though there was nothing romantic between them.  
"Are those his clothes?" Nayda asked, pointing to the stack of garments on the floor by his feet.  
"Yes. We'll likely burn them. They're too ruined to be of use to anyone."  
"Well, we can't just let him walk about naked."  
"Some of the men have spare clothing that should fit him." Most births in the Treetop Kingdom were girls, only one out of every four or five produced male offspring. At times, men from other human villages were brought in to wed a Warrior Maiden and bear children.  
"Not very good for travelling, are they?"  
"They've definitely seen better days. They appear as if he had been attacked, but there's not a mark on him."  
"How odd."

-

The air was heavy with tension in the Council Chamber of Cat's Lair. The light of the waning sun shone weakly into the roughly oval-shaped room, lengthening shadows only adding to the undercurrents of rage and anxiety. They were all waiting for Tygra and Snarf to join them with news of the kittens' condition and, though they wouldn't openly say it, wishing for the Mutants' heads on a silver platter.  
After what had felt like an eternity of waiting, a very exhausted Tygra entered the council chamber with Snarf directly behind.  
"They're recovering," Tygra said before the first question was asked. "They should be fine in a few days." The pervading tension dissipated with a great collective sigh of relief as Tygra took his seat at Lion-O's right. On the table was the Thundrainium field generator, its smashed control directly beside it as well as the detonator for the bomb, on which were a few spots of blood. He didn't bother calling the council meeting to order.  
"What did you see there?" he asked instead.  
"Someone, or someTHING, sliced Vultreman in two. Lengthwise."  
"Looked to be a single clean cut," Panthro added. "Went through that Mutant bastard like a hot knife through butter."  
"The question is," Pumyra put in, "who did it? Were there any footprints, Cheetara?"  
"None. No sign of our anonymous fan anywhere."  
"How could he sneak up on that Mutant, kill him, and vanish without a trace?" Bengali asked. "And in the middle of the desert, no less?"  
"I don't know, but when we find out who this guy is, I'll be first in line to shake his hand." His face was grim, but his eyes were livid. "Far as I'm concerned, beak-face had it coming."  
"Be careful not to let your emotions cloud your judgment, Panthro," the old lynx advised. "The Mutants did go too far this time..."  
"This time? This time! They went too damn far when they turned seven thousand defenseless Thunderian refugees into seven! They wen too far when they..."  
"PANTHRO!" Everyone turned to face Lion-O, who was now standing and looking furious. "Look, this day has been hell on all of us. We're all strung out and angry over what the Mutants did. I move we call off this meeting until everyone's had a chance to cool down."  
"Seconded," Cheetara offered.  
"If there are no objections..." Tygra paused for a moment. There were none. "Then council will reconvene in three days. Adjourned."

-

"DAMN IT ALL!" Slythe roared as he threw his bowl of stew against the wall. "Were were thisss close!" He held his forefinger and thumb an inch apart. "THIS CLOSSSE!"  
"Hoo-Hoo What was Vultureman doing? Taking a nap?"  
"Whatever it was," Jackalman added, "it cost us the Eye of Thundera. Again!"  
"What elsse can go wrong today?" As if in answer to Slythe's frustrated query, the air in the room grew chill and putrid.  
"MUTANTS!"  
"Sssshit..."  
An unnatural wind whipped at their bodies as Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living, appeared in the main chamber of Castle Plundarr. His baleful red eyes glowed like hellish cinders, decayed lips pulled back from wicked teeth. The giant demon priest stood before them, and he looked pissed.  
"Oh, Mighty Mumm-Ra!" Slythe said in his best ass-kissing voice. "To what do we owe the honor of..."  
"SILENCE!" Mumm-Ra's booming voice hammered their ears, driving terror into their brains. "You dare to try and sieze the Eye of Thundera for yourselves? Ungrateful miscreants!"  
"W-w-w-whatever d-do you mean, O Great One?" Jackalman sniveled.  
"You attacked the ThunderCats without my knowledge or consent! You..."  
"We... we would never try to take the Eye and not give it to you, Hoo-HOO!"  
"Monkian iss right, Your Lordship," Slythe added. "How could we manage to fool you? Keeping the Eye of Thundera for ourselves would only bring your wrath..."  
"Like so!" Mumm-Ra roared. His right hand lashed out, sending a crimson beam of energy that shattered the semi-circular table and sending the three Mutants flying into the wall behind. "You will never again act against the ThunderCats without first consulting me! UNDERSTAND?!"  
"Y-yes, Mumm-Ra," Jackalman said, shivering in terror. "P-perfectly!"  
"We would have had the Eye, if not for that worthlesss Vultureman!"  
"See his fate for yourselves," Mumm-Ra said as he clapped his hands together at his chest. Evil green fog began to swirl between as he pulled them apart, slowly coalescing into a clear image. The three Mutants gasped in surprise at the sight. Vultureman lay in the trench they had dug for him to hide in, waiting to set off the bombs when it appeared.  
The figure loomed over the prone Mutant. Plates of black, chitinous armor rested over thick coils of an orange material. A silver orb at its waist glinted dully in the intense light of the sun like a strange jewel. On each arrm was a pair of backward curving spikes, two of which instantly grew into shimmering blades. Twin jets of gas escaped from around downward-jutting spikes on its face. Above them were two tiny spheres which rested beneath a pair of pitiless eye-pieces. A medallion of sorts flickered on the forehead just under an emerald orb in a niche at the base of a long backward-curving fin at the top of its head. Twin rows of spikes lined the upper sides just above two more medallions on the sides.  
In the image, Vultureman whirled on the strange figure just before the two blades came down. They passed through his body as if it were made of gas and not even a moment later, Vultureman fell apart amid a shower of gore.  
"By the Pitsss of Plundarr.." a wide-eyed Slythe managed to whisper as the strange thing stomped on the control unit of the Thundrainium field generator before vanishing into thin air.  
"What was that thing, HOO HOO!"  
"That," Mumm-Ra began, "was what can happen if you try anything like that again."  
"You mean you sent it?" Slythe asked.  
"I sent nothing," the ancient one replied. "I have forgotten more about this world than you will ever learn, Mutants. That creature is called a Guyver."  
"Guyver?" Jackalman repeated.  
"An ancient weapon of enormous power, wielded by a human."  
"Are you assking usss to retrieve it..."  
"No! Should you try to take him on face to face, you will die just as your comrade has."  
"Then, what do you want us to do, hoo hoo?"  
"Nothing, until I say otherwise." Mumm-Ra began to fade at that point, his last words lingering in the air. "Beware, Mutants, and heed my words..."  
"Well, Slythe," Monkian said as he rose from the floor. "What do we do?"  
"Exactly what Mumm-Ra saysss, for now."  
"For now?"  
"You heard what Mumm-Ra ssaid, yesss? If we could find that Guyver, and take it..."  
"I see," Jackalman replied. "But how will we do it? You saw what it did to Vultureman!"  
"I do not know yet. Jussst be patient."

-


	3. Recovery

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Three

-

Lion-O sat in the dimly lit infirmary, watching the fluids in bags hung on a single metal rack drip slowly into lines that ended at bandaged points on WilyKit and WilyKat's left and right arms. They had almost died today. Everyone had almost died today, to be honest. If Vultureman hadn't been killed before that button could be pressed...  
He didn't want to think about it. He knew he shouldn't. It was over now.  
But it still replayed itself in his mind like some horrid movie.  
Lion-O glanced up at the bruises which covered Kat and Kit's arms and let the anger come. Anything was better than berating himself like this. The fury he had felt then, however, refused to surface. Only weariness remained.  
"Jaga, I could sure use some advice right now."  
Lion-O didn't stir when he heard the door slide open. He knew from the shape of the shilouette in the square of light who it was.  
"Couldn't sleep either, Cheetara?"  
"No," the cheetah replied softly as she came up beside him. She knelt down, her mane of blonde and black-spotted hair brushing against Lion-O's arm for a moment. "How are they?"  
"Sleeping like newborn cubs."  
"Right now, I envy that. I have first watch in the morning."  
"You should get some sleep."  
"How about you? The kids don't need you to keep watch over them all night."  
"I know. I'm just thinking."  
"What about?" Cheetara asked. Her hand came to rest on Lion-O's arm. He looked down at it for a moment, drew some comfort from the gesture.  
"About today. I knew the Mutants had been too quiet."  
"There was no way you could have known," she said. "We sent the kids there because we thought it would be good for them. They want to help out."  
"I'm not really talking about that." Lion-O sighed deeply. He had to say this. "I almost got everyone killed today."  
"What?"  
"I didn't realize Vultureman had the detonator until it was too late. If he hadn't been killed, he could have blasted us all over the desert."  
"Lion-O..."  
"Sometimes, Cheetara," he said, looking into her beautiful eyes, "I wonder if I'm really fit to lead."  
"Don't say that," she replied, squeezing his arm. "Don't even think it. You weren't annointed Lord of the ThunderCats for nothing."  
"So I passed the trials," Lion-O said, his voice beginning to waver. "I out-muscled Panthro, beat you in an overland race, outsmarted the kids, saw through Tygra's illusions, and beat Mumm-Ra barehanded. But, that's not all there is to being a leader."  
"Listen to me, Lion-O," she said. Her other hand rested against his cheek, her eyes staring directly into his own. "The Annointment Trials weren't just about your physical strength. They were to test your ability to make decisions, then make them work. They were about refusing to give up, no matter what the odds." Cheetara moved closer, almost touching his nose. "And you did all that. You ARE fit to lead us, and I am proud to call you Lord of the ThunderCats."  
"I... Thank you, Cheetara. Just... Thank you." She was so close, he realized. He could feel her warm, sweet breath on his face, her soft breasts on his arm. Her lips were so close to his...  
What was he thinking?  
She backed away with a throaty giggle and a warm smile.  
"Good night, my lord," Cheetara said as she came to her feet. Lion-O watched spellbound as she turned to leave.  
What's going on? he thought as the door closed behind her. I can't think about Cheetara like that!  
Can I?  
"I guess I SHOULD get some sleep," he muttered as he rose to leave.

-

Mumm-Ra had not returned to his sarcophagus since blasting out the Mutants earlier that night. Instead, he had stood at the edge of his foul cauldron and watched as jumbled images of Second Earth flashed by in disconnected shards of history.  
Much of the Golden Age of Man - what the few Third Earth philosophers and scholars called Second Earth - had been lost to the sands of time. The things humans had done at the height of their civilization, their knowledge, their cities, all laid to waste.  
What so irritated Mumm-Ra, though, was that most of this was lost to him as well. During that time, magic had been forgotten and the Black Pyramid had rested beneath the sands. He had slept, undisturbed by neither man nor the Ancient Spirits of Evil. Man had been plentiful, and had enough evil in his heart...  
"WHASSSUP!" shouted the voice of a dark-skinned male in the cauldron's waters. He spoke into a strange device, a red-and-white can in his other hand.  
"Mortals..." Mumm-Ra groaned in exasperation. Another thing man had once had in abundance was stupidity.  
"Perhaps I am not searching where I should," he muttered. He had not wakened until that horrific blast of psionic energy that heralded the beginning of the end for mankind's reign, and had spent the remaining years marshalling his power for his return as it had been ordained in the days of First Earth.  
The cauldron seethed for a moment, bringing forth a strangely home-like stretch of desert. A massive dome of pure energy mushroomed upward from the sand, tendrils of enormous power crackling out across the clear blue of the sky. Several shapes, Second Earth flying machines, which had been approaching vanished into balls of orange flame and black smoke. The image changed again to entire cities overrun by howling, screeching demons of all descriptions as they ravaged the world in one fell swoop. Zoanoids, they had been called.  
"The Guyver..." he saw the black-armored figure fighting them, slaughtering those Zoanoids wholesale as if they were merely weaklings.  
The image changed again...  
"What?" There were TWO of them? The one he beheld was enormous, fifteen feet tall if it was an inch. Twin pods rested on each massive shoulder, both with a downward-jutting blade. Aside from the size, it was very similar to the Guyver which had revealed itself outside the Black Pyramid earlier that day, save that the color was gold.  
This unknown Guyver faced down a massive creature, surrounded with an aura of light so intense that anyone who looked could have been blinded. In its head was a crystal...  
"Alkanphel." That had to be him. Mumm-Ra had never before seen the Zoalord, what his underlings, he remembered, called the First One, but even through the cauldron he could feel its power. The battle was over, the oblong jade crystal once in Alkanphel's head lying in a pool of burning blood on the dirt.  
The image changed again to the peaks of the Korath Mountains before the cauldron went black.  
Mumm-Ra stepped back from the water's edge. The jumble hadn't shown him as much as he would have liked, but it had shown him enough.  
"Things are becoming interesting," he said as he absently patted Ma-Mutt atop the demon dog's hideous head. The power he had felt from Alkanphel, even though it was only an image from the past, was tremendous even by Mumm-Ra's standards. In person, it had to have been even greater!  
But, he had been defeated by that gigantic Guyver.  
Back in the times of the Pharoahs, certain writings had told of a wondrous armor of the gods that could bestow upon a man the power to rule for all time. Not much had been known, only that it was called Guyver. Scholars of the time had thought it to be of a tongue spoken by the gods themselves. The Ancient Spirits of Evil, however, had shown him what it had truly been.  
It had been the weapon which drove the gods away. A weapon they had created.  
"I still know too little though" the ancient undead mage grumbled as he made his way back to the sarcophagus. Such a thing galled Mumm-Ra to no end. To think that he, Mumm-Ra the Ever Living, he who had lived for thousands upon thousands of generations, was facing something he knew next to nothing about! Had he not slumbered during the time of Second Earth...  
Griping about something he could not have helped would serve no purpose. He would learn more after restoring his power.

-

The kittens had overslept, which none of the other ThunderCats minded one bit that day. They stood around the twins, the piles of pancakes and candyfruit Snarf had prepared for the two in short order completely demolished with empty dishes in their wake, and each adult with their own very real sense of relief.  
"Aw, man!" came WilyKat's satisfied groan. "That was great!"  
"Yeah," Wilykit agreed. "Thanks, Snarf!"  
"Aw, shneeyarf, it was nothin'!"  
"You two feelin' okay?" Panthro asked with a grin.  
"Good enough to drive the ThunderTank," Kat said with a wink.  
"I think he's still a little out of it, Tygra," the panther joked, which generated a few chuckles from the others.  
"Hey, can't blame me for trying," WilyKat said.  
"So," WilyKit began, "we're okay?"  
"I think so," Tygra replied, "but I'd like for the two of you to stay in the infirmary today."  
"Whaaaaat?" they cried in unison.  
"We're not in trouble or anything, are we?"  
"No, WilyKat," Lion-O said. "Besides, it's just for today."  
"We're not sick or anything, right?" WilyKat asked, nervous this time.  
"I feel fine..." his sister added.  
"Now, now," Cheetara said soothingly, "don't worry. Just get some rest. After what you two went through yesterday, you need it."  
"In the morning, you two will be back on your spaceboards again. I promise."  
"Well..."  
"Okay."  
"These two need their rest, shnarf shnarf!" Snarf said. "So shoo. Old Snarf will take care of them, don't you worry!"

-

"So, how is it?" Panthro asked once they were safely clear of the infirmary.  
"There aren't any immediate signs," Tygra answered. His face was drawn and solemn, worry etched into every line, "but it can be hard to tell sometimes."  
"What?" Lion-O demanded. "What are you talking about? Is anything wrong..."  
"Lion-O," Panthro began, unsure of how exactly to say it.  
"We have no definite proof, and..."  
"Just come out and say it, I'm not a child! If anything is wrong with Kat and Kit, I need to know about it!" He watched as Panthro, Cheetara, and Tygra exchanged worried looks. The dread, which he had nearly forgotten about, returned to settle in his gut like a lead weight. They had looked a little pale, now that he thought about it  
"You know how Thundrainium weakens Thunderians..."  
"Yes." The dread grew exponentially, coating Lion-O's nerves in its icy grip.  
"It's because Thundrainium emits a peculiar form of radiation," Cheetara picked up from Tygra's lead. "It is harmless to other creatures..."  
"But to us," Panthro took the lecture next. "overexposure to it can be lethal."  
Lion-O's mouth opened, but no speech could escape his throat. This couldn't be happening. He prayed that he was dreaming, that he would wake up and none of this would have happened and he could forget about it over a heaping plate of Snarf's meat-and-veggiefruit omellettes and juice...  
No. This WAS happening, and nothing could change that.  
"That generator," Panthro continued, "emitted concentrated Thundrainium radiation, and the kittens were exposed to it for who knows how long."  
"Do... do they..."  
"We don't know for certain if they even have Thundrainium poisoning yet," Tygra explained, hopeful. "The signs don't always set in right away, and they're still recovering from mild heatstroke. Pumyra will be here later, and we'll observe them to see if there's any poisoning."  
"Have faith, Lion-O," Cheetara said, though he could see she was as worried as the rest. "Just because it may be doesn't mean it is or will be."  
"Yes. You're right." For a brief moment, he could have sworn he had heard Jaga's voice in hers... That certainly sounded like something he'd say. "Does Snarf know?"  
"No," Tygra said. "You know how much of a worrier he is."  
"Well, he does now."  
As one, the other three ThunderCats spun on their heels to find a terrified-looking Snarf standing just behind them.  
"I... I didn't mean to eavesdrop, shneeyarf, but I was..."  
"You listen, Snarf," Panthro growled. "Not a word of this to WilyKat and WilyKit, understand? Not. A. Word. Or you'll have ME to deal with!"  
"Shnaaaarf... I'll go make lunch..." Snarf's voice was thin, shaking with each syllable. "Maybe... one of you should take it to them... shnarf snarf..."

-

"Nan desu ka?" the boy said as Analee crouched slowly down next to him. Willa looked on from his right, anxious for any sign of... well... anything, really. He looked about his surroundings in confusion, deep blue eyes wide and a touch frightened. "Anata ga desu?"  
"What is he saying?" Willa asked as Analee reached down to check his pulse. The boy flinched briefly as her fingers found his wrist.  
"I have no idea," the healer replied. Apparently satisfied that his pulse was indeed normal, she placed two fingers of each hand to both sides of his neck. He almost jerked away from her, more of that staccatto language bursting from his lips.  
"Yameno!" he shouted.  
"Poor thing is scared out of his wits," Analee said softly. "Don't worry," she said, her voice soft and reassuring, "I won't hurt you."  
He looked at her as if unsure of her intentions.  
"English?"  
"Don't worry, boy..."  
"You speak English?"  
Willa felt her jaw drop open in surprise. She had no idea what this "English" was, but he certainly did speak her language.  
"Ah," Analee said, her kindly old face lit up in a smile. "So, we can understand each other!"  
"Who are you?" he said, "Where am I?"  
"You're in the Treetop Kingdom of the Warrior Maidens," Willa said with more than a hint of authority. "We saved your life yesterday."  
"You... did?" His sea-blue eyes fell on hers - and only her eyes, Willa noted. "Thank you." He ducked his head and shoulders in a short bow.

"This is the healer Analee," the well-muscled, dark-haired woman said, indicating the older - more grandmotherly - one whom had checked his pulse earlier. "And I am Willa, Queen of the Warrior Maidens."  
"I am pleased to meet you, Your Highness," he said, bowing again and realizing with some embarrassment that a thin blanket was all that stood between him and the world.  
"There's no need to call me that," Willa said with a chuckle. "Just Willa will do."  
"Okay. Thank you, Willa."  
"So," the woman, Analee, said, "What's your name?"  
"Me? I'm..." He thought for a moment, surprised that he couldn't...  
(Sho. Your name is...)  
"Sho."  
"That's a strange name," Willa said. "Where are you from?"  
"I... I..." Sho searched the depths of his memory, finding only blackness. Why did that seem so... comforting? "I... don't know..."  
"You don't?" Analee asked as she ran her fingers over his temples in short concentric circles.  
"I don't remember. I'm trying, but I just don't remember anything."

Willa stepped into the mid-morning sunshine which filtered through the leaves above with Analee. All about, the Warrior Maidens went about their daily business. Some leapt from the walkways above the forest floor to waiting vines for patrol of their territory, others carried bushels of fruits or small children.  
"Amnesia, is it?" she asked.  
"Yes. The boy was not lying," the old healer replied.  
"But, he remembered his name."  
"Memory loss affects people in different ways," Analee said as she leaned on her staff. "As such, I did not bother to ask about the things on his back."  
"He recovered rather quickly, though."  
"He did, at that. I thought for sure it would be another day at least before he woke up."  
"You wished to see us, Willa?" A slender woman with dark red hair tied in a tail to the middle of her back said. Her companion, a shorter and more muscled woman with a honey-blonde mane stood beside her.  
"Yes, Mari. You and Seles are to keep watch over Sho."  
"He is the boy you rescued yesterday?" Seles asked with a touch of curiosity.  
"Yes. He is mostly free to walk about the Treetop Kingdom, but you two will escort him at all times," Willa explained. "At sundown, Rhianna and Brie will relieve you."  
"Understood," Mari said curtly.  
"He is inside my hut," Analee said, "and he will sleep there tonight."  
"How long will he be here?" Seles asked.  
Hopefully not long, Willa almost said. "Until he recovers enough to be on his way."  
"You're not thinking about sending him away with no knowledge of who he is, are you?" Analee whispered as Mari and Seles took positions on each side of the hut's entrance. "And especially as frail as he looks..."  
"If he was able to get here from wherever he came from like that," Willa replied, "then there is little to worry about. I'll have two Warrior Maidens escort him to the edge of our territory..."  
"That's not what I mean. He has no memory aside from his own name! He wouldn't last a day..."  
"Analee," Willa interrupted, "you said it yourself. He may be a threat."  
"I also said that he may NOT be a threat, young one."  
"You may be the best healer in the kingdom," Willa began, "but the safety of the Warrior Maidens is MY responsibility." Willa glanced back to the entrance of Analee's hut, wishing Sho had wound up anywhere else on Third Earth. "He should be done dressing now."

The pants fit fairly well, Sho was pleased to discover. They were stitched from an animal hide - which animal he did not know - and were surprisingly comfortable to wear. As he slid on the thin sleeveless shirt, he pondered his surroundings.  
Nothing seemed familiar, not the hanging bushels of strange-smelling herbs nor the forest beyond the hut's window. Willa - attractive as she was - seemed even more alien to him than what little he had seen of this Treetop Kingdom. As he laced up the front of the tan shirt, a feeling of wrongness crept over him. Sho couldn't put his finger on what or why, but the feeling that he didn't belong here was becoming strong.  
"What on Earth..."  
(Third Earth)  
Sho froze, every nerve alight with tension and alarm. He was alone in this hut, he knew that, so where did...  
(Your world is Third Earth now)  
"Who... who said that?"  
"I said nothing."  
Sho looked up with a startled shout to find Willa standing in the open doorway. She stared at him quizzically, as if she were certain he had lost his mind. Sho was beginning to wonder about that himself.  
"Oh, sorry, Willa," Sho managed. His face flushed with embarrassed heat as he finished securing his clothing. "I just thought you'd said something."  
"No," she said as she stepped closer. Sho almost couldn't help but notice the length of her legs the short tunic showed, and had to fight to keep his eyes on hers. He had a strange feeling that allowing them to roam would do more harm than good, especially if she was a queen.  
But, he had still heard that voice, so maddeningly familiar...

-

He wrapped his cloak tightly about his frame as he neared the edge of Hook Mountain which faced the grasslands beyond Snowman's kingdom. He wished he had summoned the Guyver for this part of Third Earth - the cold here was a bitch - but knew that he could no longer afford to do so without Mumm-Ra noticing. He had felt the evil eyes upon him ever since yesterday. The demon priest knew of him, and must know of the power he posessed.  
Mumm-Ra could never claim the Guyver for himself. The only artifact that would have allowed it had been destroyed over two thousand years ago. But there were other artifacts of that war that would afford him even greater power than he already had. Sho Fukamachi was the key to that.  
He is with the Warrior Maidens, he thought as he slogged through another snowdrift. Sho could have wound up among better company than that anachronistic tribe of amazons, but at least he was safe. For now.  
He had been surprised that Sho's memory had failed him. He'd had to tell him his own name, and now Sho thought that perhaps he was going insane. He made a note to keep telepathic communication with him to a minimum. The last thing he needed was someone as powerful as Sho to go mad.  
But, without even the knoweldge of that power...  
He decided, then, to head toward the Treetop Kingdom. He couldn't get too close - not without summoning the Guyver again - but he would at least be able to better keep tabs on the now-awake Sho Fukamachi. Of course, he would have to be out of range of the sensor arrays in Cat's Lair, but that was easily done. He had evaded their security before. He'd faced much tougher opposition than the Warrior Maidens and the ThunderCats.

-

Pumyra waved a quick good-bye to Lynx-O and Bengali as the ThunderStrike lifted off from the grass in front of Cat's Lair. She didn't bother to watch as her two comrades rose skyward for the short hop to the Tower of Omens. There were more important things to attend to.  
"I'm glad you came, Pumyra," Tygra said as he completed his sprint across the drawbridge and joined her at the end.  
"I just wish it was under better circumstances," the she-puma said as she re-shouldered her bag of medicines. "It almost seems as if we only see each other in an emergency."  
"This might not be," Tygra replied. "At least, I hope it isn't."  
"You said the kittens were ill?" Pumyra asked.  
"They suffered mild heatstroke from being kidnapped by the Mutants..."  
"You told me that, already."  
"Yes, I did, didn't I?"  
"What is it, Tygra?" Pumyra knew when her friend was agitated.  
"The Mutants created a machine that emits concentrated Thudrainium radiation..."  
"Thundrainium poisoning," Pumyra said. "Tygra, I hope you're wrong."  
"I hope I am, too."  
"I don't really have the medicines or experience to treat such a dreadful condition."  
"Here's hoping you won't need it. Nonetheless, I'm glad you came."  
"So am I."  
The two ThunderCats walked back across the drawbridge, both clinging to the hope that this would turn out to be nothing after all.

-

Most of the Mutant clans hated puzzles. The tribes of Plundarr lived for pillage and conquest, not plotting and deceit. Monkians and Jackalmen were among the worst for believing in matter over mind.  
Slythe, however, knew that guile and deception went a long way toward achieving one's goals. Brute force alone wasn't always enough, especially when dealing with an enemy like the ThunderCats. Even moreso when dealing with an ally like Mumm-Ra. The leader of the Reptillian Clan reviewed the details of Vultureman's death at the hands of what that decrepit mummy had called "Guyver", and began to wonder.  
Why would Mumm-Ra, after all this time, order the Mutants not to engage the ThunderCats without him? He could no more use the power of the Eye of Thundera than Slythe himself could. Or, perhaps that wasn't as true as the ancient demon priest wanted others to think? And, if that was true, then perhaps Slythe could seize its power for himself?  
He filed that away for later as he downed his second goblet of what Third Earthers called whiskey. If nothing else, these backward primitives knew how to make good hooch. He decided against a third - his head was buzzing well enough - when it occured to him.  
Perhaps Mumm-Ra was afraid of the Guyver? No, that wasn't quite right. He was wary of it. That would certainly explain his warning.  
It was decided. The deep-space transmitter they had spent months building was ready. It was time for the Mutants to claim what was rightfully theirs and plunder this ridiculous planet for all it was worth. That black-armored Guyver thing would have to wait, if only for a while.

-


	4. Warning Signs

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Four

-

Tygra took another sip of Snarf's coffee as he consulted one of his medical texts which he had managed to rescue from Thundera. For the first time in what felt like months - though it had only been barely three days - he began to feel a little at ease. The kittens were bored, restless, and complaining about being cooped up in the infirmary. All very good signs.  
"What blend does Snarf use?" Pumyra asked from his right. "Snarfer needs to take lessons."  
"I never asked," Tygra replied while Pumyra sipped the steaming liquid. "I'll make a point of it someday."  
"Well, it looks like they're in the clear."  
"Yes, thank goodness." Tygra took a sip himself, though the caffeine was losing the battle to keep him awake. "If they had Thundrainium poisoning, they would have shown signs by now."  
"I spoke with Panthro a few hours ago. He told me that the machine somehow amplified the small amount of Thundrainium stored inside."  
"So, it wasn't a large amount?"  
"No. In fact, he even said that it would never have been enough to induce Thundrainium poisoning. From the way it was built, it had been on the verge of burning out when you and Lion-O had arrived on the scene."  
"Even so," Tygra added, "it had almost been enough." He didn't think the horror of seeing those bombs on WilyKit and WilyKat's bodies would ever go away. "I do wonder, however, who killed Vultureman."  
"Whomever it was," Pumyra replied, "we owe him a debt of thanks."  
"Why didn't he show himself?"  
"I don't know, and there's really no point in thinking about it. I have a strange feeling that we'll be seeing him again." With that, Pumyra let out a mighty yawn and stretched her lithe frame in her seat. "It's late, Tygra. We really should get some sleep."  
"I know," he replied as he downed the last of the now-lukewarm coffee. "The guest room's been made up for you."  
"Thanks. Good night, Tygra."  
Tygra watched her leave, a small grin on his face. Bengali was a very lucky man...

-

Sho lay awake on the thin mat Analee had provided for him, shivering from the lingering traces of the nightmare that had awoken him. The darkened hut was silent, save for the noises of forest life that came from outside and the hammering of his own heart. He briefly wondered how he had kept from screaming as the details of the dream rapidly faded from his memory.  
It was a city, he thought as the chill sweat dried on his arms. It was burning, they were screaming, and...  
It was gone. Whatever had happened next, it was gone. Sho sat up, drawing his knees to his chest to rest his chin on them, and hugged himself against the cool air. All he could remember was the terror...  
The rage...  
The desire...  
And that, he realized in the darkness of Analee's hut, was what had frightened him the most. Something had been calling to him in that dream, and he had wanted it with all his heart and being. Still did, in fact.  
He reached back and felt the growths between his shoulderblades again. They were smooth to the touch, warm as he ran his fingers over them.  
"What the hell is happening to me?" he muttered. "Who am I?" His only answer was the chirping of crickets and the calls of nocturnal birds.

Though he did not know it, another had shared his dream...

-

He leaned against the boulder which had been placed in the flowing sea of grasslands as a marker between the Berbil village and one of the Wollo settlements. The stars shone overhead like diamonds scattered across a black velvet display, the bright moon its pale centerpiece.  
He had seen Sho's dream, and himself remembered that day so many centuries ago. It had been the final battle against Kronos, against its master Alkanphel. The battle had shaken the very earth on which New York City had once stood, raising mountains and carving valleys where there had once been pavement and steel. The Korath Mountains had been born on that day, what had once been known as the Catskills warped and twisted into jagged peaks and razor-sharp outcroppings.  
He had thought those hellish mountains had become their tomb. Apparently, he had been wrong. If Sho had survived, then what of Alkanphel? He hated to think it, but the leader of Kronos reviving here on Third Earth seemed like a real possibility.  
I don't have the strength to fight him, he thought. I'm not as young as I used to be. Even in my prime, I hadn't the strength to defeat him.  
He shook his head ruefully from side to side.  
But, perhaps he hasn't revived? None of the others have.  
That thought brought only a small measure of comfort. There was still Mumm-Ra to worry about. Who knew what sort of tricks that ancient mummy had in store?  
"I'm getting too old for this," the man who - in another world - had been known as Agito Makashima said wearily as he lay down once more to sleep.

-

"So, the kittens are well."  
Mumm-Ra felt a twinge of disappointment at that. He had hoped that - at the very least - the two would have died. It would have been such a nice way to start a new day. Luck, however, appeared not to be with him on that.  
"No matter," he said as the image vanished. He had much larger matters to deal with this day. The cauldron boiled as Mumm-Ra's magic set to work. His gnarled, decayed hands waved over its brackish surface as the image of a man in a simple cloak of black wool appeared in its depths.  
There was still far too much he did not know about the Guyver. What could it do? How much power did it truly have? The knowledge of that was lost, even to the realm of myth and lore. The question which bothered Mumm-Ra the most, however, was where the other one could be. This man had not been the one whom had come from the Korath Mountains, he knew that much. Could this man be seeking that other Guyver? Or, could he already know and was merely biding his time? If so, that could mean that he knew he was being watched, and did not want to lead anyone to the second Guyver?  
There was one way to find out.  
"Show me, O Ancient Spirits of Evil, the energy of the Korath Mountains." The cauldron showed him the jagged peaks, the swirling multi-colored energies that warred in and around them. They were invisible to the untrained eye - if not they would have lit up the sky for miles - and appeared as a violent aura of wild power. If his hypothesis was correct...  
The image slowly dissolved into a blanket of whiteness which coalesced into a small dot in the center of the waters.  
"Show me."  
Details came into focus around it; leaves, trees, catwalks, and shadowed figures lurking in the branches.  
"Ah. So that's where he is." Mumm-Ra chuckled to himself. "In the care of the Warrior Maidens." Now he had the location. He just needed to know who it was. The Treetop Kingdom was too close to Cat's Lair for him to go directly. The last thing he needed was to deal with those primitive humans *and* the ThunderCats while searching for a man even his mystic cauldron could not see. There was a better way...

-

Slythe stalked through the halls of Castle Plundarr, nursing a small hangover and feeling generally irritable. The most recent loss to the ThunderCats had become a sore spot - one of many - on his ego, and the headache and dry mouth did nothing to alleviate his already sour disposition.  
He was well beyond sick of losing to those damned Thunderians. The small guard force that had been on their ship - those which survived its sinking into Mumm-Ra's desert - was nowhere near enough to pose a threat to them. They needed an army. And weapons. And a decent strategy. And...  
"A little to much to drink, Reptilian?" came a scratchy voice from behind. Slythe whirled to see Mumm-Ra - his red cloak around his bandaged frame - standing a few feet behind. The demon's lips widened into a grotesque smile at his current state.  
"What is it now, Mumm-Ra?"  
"I would curb that tongue if I were you," the mummy said. "After all, I have not forgotten your attempt to gain the Eye of Thundera without me. And besides," he continued, "I know of your latest plot."  
"What do you mean, Mighty One?" Slythe felt his guts clench. Could that bastard...  
"I know of the deep space transmitter you have recently developed."  
"W-w-w-what..."  
"Do not try to insult my intelligence," Mumm-Ra said. "I know of what you plan, Slythe, and I approve."  
"You... do?"  
"Yes," Mumm-Ra said, "but you will follow my instructions."  
"Of course, Mighty Mumm-Ra!" Slythe hoped his anger did not show too much. "But, why..."  
"You will know only what I wish you to know," the mummy replied in a voice that would brook no argument. "There are three Plundarrian ships within range of your transmitter now. Hurry and contact them."  
Slythe turned and, with Mumm-Ra just behind, walked to the chamber which housed the transmitter. Perhaps he could yet turn this development to his advantage.

-

WilyKat ignored the main viewscreen as he sat in the control chamber of Cat's Lair. He rapped his claws atop the surface of the central console in a steady clacking rhythm, not seeing or even caring about the empty plains the Lair's sensors displayed.  
The young Thunderian Wildcat had bigger things on his mind.  
He had always held the Mutants in low esteem, as did any Thunderian. They were enemies. They were pillagers, destroyers. They stood against all the Code of Thundera and the ThunderCats held sacred.  
But now...  
He still remembered the feel of the bomb on his chest, the terror of seeing another on his sister. He remembered the humiliation of being captured and used against his own friends, his family. But most of all, he remembered the anger at seeing his sister in pain at their hands.  
And he had been completely helpless...  
"WilyKat, will you stop that?"  
He jerked at the sound of his sister's voice, finally seeing her next to him at the main console.  
"What?"  
"Stop making all that noise. You're driving me nuts!"  
"Huh? OH!" WilyKat stopped his fingers before another repeat of his claws on the surface of the control panel. "Sorry, Kit."  
"It's bad enough that we had to pull watch duty today," she lamented, looking at the sunny countryside through the Lair's scanners. "It's so boring!"  
"Yeah, sure is." He didn't mind, though. Not today.  
"What's up with you today?" WilyKit asked, leaning against the console and looking down at him.  
"Nothin', Kit," he replied. "Just glad to be home, y'know?"  
"Yeah, I do," she replied softly. "But I want those Mutants to pay for what they did to us."  
"Me, too."  
"So, is everything okay in here?" Lion-O asked as the doors to the Control Room slid open and he walked in.  
"All quiet," WIlyKat replied as he turned to face the lion. "I almost wish those Mutants would try something now."  
"Yeah," his sister agreed, venomous anger creeping into her voice. "When are we gonna go after them?"  
If Lion-O was taken aback at the look on the young wildcat's face, he didn't show it.  
"Just let me worry about the Mutants for now. Panthro will be here to take over in an hour. Don't ask me how," he said with a wink, "but I managed to convince Panthro to let me take the ThunderTank for a spin this afternoon. I just thought I'd ask if you wanted to come along."  
"Would we ever!" WilyKit exclaimed as she leapt up straight.  
"Great! See you in an hour!"

As the doors slid shut behind, Lion-O sent another silent thanks to Panthro for agreeing to this. Leaving WilyKit and WilyKat cooped up in the Lair wouldn't solve anything. Besides, Panthro concenting - however reluctantly - to let the ThunderTank be taken on a joyride was too rare an occurence to pass up.

Lynx-O had never considered his blindness a curse. Like the rest of the Lynx clan of Thundera, he had been taught from birth that nothing in life happened without reason. As for whose reason it was or what that reason might be, such was not always meant for the minds of mortals. It was important to accept, and to adjust.  
When he had lost his sight, and had discovered the new realms of sensory perception the absence of his eyes granted, he had thought that perhaps he had learned what the reason may be. The flow of the air alone told him volumes about the space around him. His ears detected even the most minute sounds, and his hands - especially when paired with the Braille Board - propelled his perceptions far beyond what he'd had before. It was almost like the Eye of Thundera's sight beyond sight.  
No, he had once thought with a chuckle, it was sight *without* sight.  
But, what his hands told him now made absolutely no sense.  
He knew little of the Korath Mountains, save that energies of all descriptions raged about their peaks and valleys. Yet, that was where his attention had been drawn for the past three days. The only scrap of hard information he had was that something had come from there.  
He removed his hands from the board and frowned in thought.  
The strange readings began three days ago, just before WilyKit and WilyKat had been kidnapped. Was that a coincidence? Perhaps, perhaps not. Maybe if he knew more about the Korath Mountains, he could begin to draw some conclusions? Yes, that seemed best. Lynx-O left the Braille Board to call the Cat's Lair. The other ThunderCats had been on Third Earth far longer than he had, so perhaps they knew? If not, they could certainly point him to someone who did.  
If he had remained at the board for only a few minutes more, the old lynx would have found far more pressing matters to concern himself with...

-

"This is the Ravager, go ahead Slythe."  
The Reptilian nearly leapt for joy at the sound of another Mutant voice from deep space. Granted, it was only a Monkian, but beggars couldn't be choosers.  
"Ravager, how many ssships are with you, over?"  
"We are within range of another four. Where are you, over?"  
"On a jerkwater craphole called Third Earth," Slythe replied. "SSSummon the other ssships, and come to thessse coordinatesss..."  
"Hang on, Reptilian," the voice snarled. "Why should we obey you? What's in it for us?"  
"Fool!" Slythe roared. "Do you not remember the Alliance?"  
"Who cares about that?" the Monkian in charge of the Mutant ship Ravager replied. Slythe could almost hear the sneer in his voice.  
"We can still seize the Eye of Thundera," Slythe explained as if to a slow child. "The remaining ThunderCatsss are here as well. We can crush them once and for all!"  
"Go on," the Monkian captain replied at length.  
"Plus, we are here on a virgin planet." It was time to sweeten the pot a little more. "Ripe for the taking! A world rich in gold, in jewels, in minerals! And, best of all, rich in slaves!"  
"This is sounding better all the time, hoo-HOO!"  
"And, to top it all off, thisss planet will make a fine staging area for expanding our reign across the universe, yess!"  
"You talk a big game, Slythe," the captain said, "but how do I know you are speaking the truth?"  
"Why not come to Third Earth and sssee for yourself?"  
"Very well. Transmit your coordinates."  
Slythe obliged the flea-bitten Monkian captain.  
"We can be there in twelve hours. To think that you were so close! Ravager out!"  
Slythe powered down the deep space transmitter and replaced the microphone before turning to face Mumm-Ra.  
"SSo, are you certain..."  
"They will come," Mumm-Ra replied. "Have no fear."  
"But, what about the sensors in Cat's Lair, and the Tower of Omensss? Surely they will notice four Plundarrian shipsss landing on Third Earth, yess?"  
"My magic will ensure that they will not," the mummy said brusquely. "When the attack comes, the ThunderCats will not be able to withstand it."  
"We will smasssh Cat's Lair!" Slythe roared, for once that day feeling good.  
"But, you will follow my plan," Mumm-Ra snarled. "Understood?"  
"Yesss, Mumm-Ra..."  
"I am warning you, Slythe," the ancient one said in a voice colder than the ice on Hook Mountain, "if you try to deceive me, I will destroy your new Mutant army, and you with it."  
"Of coursse, Mumm-Ra." The mummy vanished, back to that abominal pyramid he called home. "You dried-up old prick," Slythe added after he was sure the demon was gone.

-

"Cat's Lair," Panthro said as the image on the main monitor coalescend into Lynx-O's wizened face. "Go ahead."  
"I hear the kittens are doing well," he said with a smile.  
"Yeah, Lion-O's taking them for a ride in the ThunderTank right now," he replied - managing not to add that he had better not be fooling around with it.  
"That is good news."  
"What's going on?"  
"Have you ever heard of the Korath Mountains, Panthro?"  
"Yeah. The energy readings there are off the charts. Our sensors can't penetrate it, and we've never had a reason to go there. Why ask?"  
"The readings I have received from my Braille Board have been centered on that place for the past few days. I was hoping you'd know something about the hisory of that place."  
"Nope, can't say as I do. Is something happening there?"  
"I believe that something has very recently emerged from those mountains."  
"What can you tell me?" Panthro asked, every nerve suddenly at full alert.  
"Nothing substantial at present. Who or whatever it is has remained quiet so far."  
"Yeah. Keep me posted, Lynx-O. Cheetara's out near one of the Wollo villages now, I'll have her stop by and ask about them."  
"Good idea. I do hope this does not bode ill for us."  
"Same here, Lynx-O. Cat's Lair out." As the screen went blank, Panthro sent a signal to Cheetara. Whatever could come from a place like the Korath Mountains didn't sound overly friendly.  
"What's up, Panthro?" the cheetah's voice said from the strategically placed speakers in the Control Room.  
"How far are you from that Wollo village?"  
"A few minutes. Why, is something wrong there?"  
"No, but I'd like you to stop by and ask if they know about the Korath Mountains."  
"Why that awful place?"  
"Lynx-O just called," he said, "and told me something might just have come out of there. We need to know all we can about those mountains."  
"Okay. I'll be there soon. Cheetara out."

-

She had been several miles from the Wollos, actually, but when one moved as fast as Cheetara a mile might as well be a foot. She reached the squat adobe structures of the village in under seventy seconds before slowing to walking speed.  
Very few of the Wollos spoke her language, but they all recognized her and gave warm smiles as greeting. Cheetara returned them as she walked through the narrow streets, searching for...  
"Hello!" she called to the Wollo who stood beside the fountain in the town square. This particular Wollo had become a kind of emmissary between his people and the ThunderCats. His weathered coar fell to his ankles, a wide-brimmed hat shading kind eyes and a snowy beard on his rodent-like face. He turned and grinned openly at her as she approached.  
"Cheetara!" he exclaimed as she drew near. "So good to see you!"  
"Likewise, Salvador. How is your daughter?"  
"Oh, I am so happy today!" Salvador cried out. "I am to be a grandfather!"  
"Congratulations!" she said. "You must be thrilled!"  
"Oh, indeed! Her mother is already planning on a nursery for the child! She can't wait!"  
"I'm glad for you, Salvador."  
"What brings you by, though? It's not often a ThunderCat visits our village."  
"I must admit, I'm not here for a social call. Is there a place where we can talk, Salvador?"  
"Of course! My home is just this way."

The Wollo's home was quite comfortable - cozy, one could call it - though Cheetara had to stoop to walk about. Even the tallest Wollos were barely four feet, and Cheetara was almost six. She followed him into the kitchen, where a squat table and four chairs occupied the center of the floor. A small fireplace rested in the far wall, the space beneath the hanging black iron kettle clean of ashes and restocked with fresh wood. Various spices and herbs hung from thin cords over a prep counter directly in the shaft of sunlight allowed in by the window hewn into the hard clay wall.  
"Please," Salvador insisted, "have a seat."  
"Thank you," she answered, pulling out a squat chair and resting in it. Salvador took a seat opposite from her and placed a large water flask and two cups on the smooth tabletop.  
"So," he said, filling the two cups, "what do you need to discuss? I can hardly imagine what ThunderCat business would involve us Wollos."  
"Do you know anything about the Korath Mountains?"  
Salvador's eyes widened, the cup halfway to his lips.  
"Wh... why would you want to know about those dreadful peaks?" he asked her, all traces of his former elation gone from his voice.  
"We've... detected some strange readings from there." It was a lie, but Cheetara saw no reason to scare the Wollo unnecessarily. "Do you know anything about that place?"  
"Only legends and folklore," Salvador replied. "Many of them, however, say that they were once the site of a great city, destroyed in a titanic battle thousands of years ago."  
"Go on."  
"Many believe that the souls of those who died in that war still haunt the Korath Mountains to this day, hatred for the living the only thing keeping them in this mortal world." Salvador spoke this in a hushed whisper, as if saying the words too loud would summon those selfsame spirits.  
"Hmm... that's indeed troubling," she said at length. "What do the legends say about that battle, Salvador?"  
"The legends say," he explained, "that two of the gods themselves fought there. Others say a strange angel and a demon."  
"So, who won?"  
"The legend is this; Ages ago, a dark god overran the world with demons in human form. The only one who could oppose him was a warrior known only as the Guyver. It was said that, when their powers finally clashed, they destroyed the very world Guyver sought to protect and that evil god of darkness sought to rule."  
"Mumm-Ra..."  
"No, Cheetara, this much I know is true," Salvador said. "Mumm-Ra slept at the time of this war. In fact, some even theorize that it was what awoke him and brought him to Third Earth."  
"So, the dark god was defeated, then?"  
"Perhaps he was killed, perhaps he is merely imprisoned there. No one can ever venture into the Korath Mountains. None who have tried ever returned."  
Cheetara ignored the growing unease in her heart, instead glancing out at the steadily setting sun. She would have to get back to Cat's Lair soon.  
"And, there is also the chance that the legends could be completely false," Salvador said, though his frightened voice showed that he didn't believe it one bit.  
"One last thing, Salvador. What happened to this Guyver?"  
"No one knows. As I said, there are many legends about that place, Cheetara. All of them have different aspects, yes, but many share a common idea; that a cataclysmic war was fought there."  
"I see." It seemed that Third Earth fed off of legends and stories. Cheetara rose to leave, acidentally bumping her head on the low ceiling and barely stifling a rather unladylike curse. "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Salvador..."  
"No trouble, my friend," the old Wollo replied with a faint smile. "There is a village far north of here, past the hills of Elfshima, where people study the ancient lores. Perhaps, if you want to know more, they can assist you."  
"Thank you, friend," she replied with a smile. Salvador rose from his chair, and led Cheetara to the exit. She rose to her full height immediately after leaving, massaging the twinging protests out of her lower back, and congratulated him on becoming a grandfather once again before turning to leave.  
As she ran back toward Cat's Lair, she thought of what Salvador had told her about the Korath Mountains, and what Panthro had told her about something having come from there recently, and her unease evolved into dread.  
"Dark gods, and a man called Guyver," she muttered as the trees and shrubs blurred past. "Something is about to happen here. Something very, very bad..."

-

Sho leaned against the railing on one of the Treetop Kingdom's many walkways and balconies and watched the sun finish its trek below the trees. The shadows had grown longer and deeper in the hour or two he had spent staring into nothing, yet he did not notice. One thing kept nagging at him, drawing his mind like a moth to the flame.  
He could feel it, speaking to him in wordless, voiceless whispers, connected to him on the most intimate level. He could sense it always nearby, just behind his shoulder, watching, waiting... for what?  
For me, he realized. It's waiting for me to do something. I just don't know what it is.  
The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Perhaps he was insane? Was it possible to have lost one's mind and not really know it? Was that phantom presence real, or imagined?  
No. It was real. He knew, he *felt* it was real, just as the voice which had spoken in his mind on awakening was real. He found that, if he focused just right, he could almost feel where the owner of that voice was.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Better, Willa," he said as the Queen of the Warrior Maidens stepped up beside him. "Thank you again."  
"Sho..."  
"I know." They both stood there in the growing night, each having almost read the other's mind. Sho had come to realize that his presence among the Warrior Maidens was one that was hoped to be short. Willa had seemed to realize that he knew his answers did not lie with them. "I'll go in the morning."  
"Don't think that I'm rushing you away simply because you're an outsider, and a man," she said.  
"Doesn't really matter, does it?" he asked. "I can't stay here, and we both know it, but I'll always be grateful to you for saving my life."  
"I will have some supplies readied for you by morning," Willa said. "It's the least I can do."  
"Thank you."  
Sho looked back at the deepening dark, and knew. His past was out there. He might not find it for a long time, might even loathe it when he did, but find it he would. Anything was better than blank spots in his mind and maddeningly familiar voices and feelings he could not place.  
I'll find you, he thought, feeling for the second voice.  
(I'll be waiting) it replied.

Agito Makashima smiled as he ate his small dinner. His appetite had been shrinking over the years, all just part of growing older. He had grown older far more slowly than any human had a right to, but grow old he did.  
He would be waiting for Sho to find him. He would make it easy. Hell, linked as they were he could leave a psychic trail of breadcrumbs all over the planet if he wanted to. And from there, he would actually have a chance. Yes, maybe after all these centuries, everything could work out after all.

-


	5. Setting the Stage

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Five

-

Mumm-Ra stood before his black couldron as he had countless times before, watching as the bright pinpricks of light moved against the backdrop of stars whose distance from Third Earth was too hideous to compute. Those Mutant ships would be ready to enter orbit in a matter of hours. Who knew how many weapons and vehicles each carried? It would be enough.  
"Ancient Spirits of Evil," he began, "transform this decayed form to Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living!" The pain was as fierce as ever as the magic took hold, creating powerful muscle and sinew where there was once dead and rotten flesh. The bandages shredded and were cast to the unnatural winds as his body grew to the powerful form he was once able to hold as long as he wished.  
The transformation complete, and unholy magic surging through his veins with incredible vigor, Mumm-Ra began the incantation which would hide the coming Mutant ships from all watchers.  
"Nee aaan deeru taaa..." he waved his hands about the cauldron, the black powers converging and twisting space about the landing site. "Croo man yoooonnnn, croo man yooooonnnn..." Mumm-Ra continued the chant, summoning his ancient powers to do what must be done. The spell had to be completed before the ships achieved orbit around Third Earth.

-

"And that's it, Lynx-O," Cheetara said.  
"Hmmm... This is indeed troubling," he replied. "Did he give any indication of which may have emerged from the mountains?"  
"No, but from the way he looked, either would have been bad news."  
"Well, it's only a legend, right?" Lion-O asked from Cheetara's right. "I mean, there's no way to tell for sure? He also said all the legends might be false."  
"Every legend," the old lynx said, "no matter how outlandish it may seem, has at least a small grain of truth to it."  
"We must know more," Tygra added. "Where is that village, Cheetara?"  
"Salvador said it was to the north, past the Hills of Elfshima."  
"We'll go there in the morning," Panthro added.  
"I'll try to see who it is," Lion-O said, raising the Sword of Omens to his face. "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight. Show me who came from the Korath Mountains."  
He peered through the ethereal haze of the Eye of Thundera's vision, finding only a wall of wild energy.  
"Something did come from those mountains," he said as he focused more on the wall of light. "I just can't see who it is."  
"What *do* you see?" he heard Tygra ask.  
"Just weird energy," he replied as the vision faded and the control room of Cat's Lair came back into view.  
"Well, this keeps getting better all the time," WilyKat remarked sourly.  
"It is possible that the energies of those mountains have held to him," Lynx-O mused. "Besides, whomever this is has caused no harm yet."  
"Yet being the operative term," said Tygra. "Did you get any clues as to where this man is?"  
"None. The Sword lost the vision before I could tell much of anything."  
"I will continue searching with the Braille Board. Thank you, ThunderCats. Tower of Omens out."  
"Well," Panthro said, "looks like we might have a new enemy."  
"Or an ally," Cheetara added. "The only way to know is to find him."  
"But, the Sword can't see him," Lion-O said. "Looks like that village is our only lead."  
"Guyver," Snarf pouted from atop one of the smaller consoles. "What kind of silly name is that?"  
"I don't know, but 'Alkanphel' gives me the creeps," WilyKit replied.  
"First thing in the morning, we'll go to the Village of Scholars and ask about Alkanphel and Guyver." Tygra stated as he took his seat for the evening watch. "For now, though, you should all get some sleep."

-

"We should be sleeping now, hoo HOO!" Monkian griped as the wind stirred up gusts of sand around their bodies. The temperature in the arid Desert of Sinking Sands had already begun to plummet, and the crystal clear night promised that it would get even colder before the dawn.  
"Yes, Slythe," added Jackalman, "Care to tell us *why* we're freezing our asses off in Mumm-Ra's backyard?"  
"Look up, there," Slythe answered, pointing his finger to the night sky. His heart began to race with excitement when he saw the moving points of light in the heavens. This was it, they were really coming!  
"I don't see anything... wait!" Monkian cried out. "Those stars are moving!"  
"They're not stars, moron," Jackalman snapped. "They're ships!"  
"Yesss. Mutant ssships."  
"Reinforcements from Plun-Darr?"  
"That transmitter must have worked! When did you use it, Hoo!"  
"Earlier today. They should be landing within the hour."  
"But, what abou the ThunderCats?" Monkian asked nervously. "Surely they'll notice our ships landing on Third Earth, hoo hoo HOO!"  
"Mumm-Ra is dealing with that," Slythe replied tersely. "It looks like something of Vultureman's has finally turned out right!"  
"Posthumously, but there's nothing wrong with that," Jackalman said through a sneer. "I never liked that buzzard anyway.  
"Enough!" Slythe barked. "Set out the landing flares! We have much to do." As Monkian and Jackalman reached into the Nosediver's cargo compartments for the flares, the reptillian explained Mumm-Ra's plan. By sunrise, the four ships had landed, and the unloading was underway.

-

"This is the edge of our territory," Willa said as they neared the treeline. Sho looked out at the plains of grass which billowed gently in the wind and squinted against the early morning sun. This was it, then. He felt nervous as he stared over the enormous expanse of open land and air that seemed to stretch into infinity. "To the north," he heard her say, "is the Berbil Village. You should reach it by late afternoon."  
"Thank you, Willa," Sho replied as he adjusted the small leather pack of supplies. A canteen of water hung under his shoulder on a bandolier along with a razor sharp dagger. The hide pants and vest were now matched with a pair of boots halfway up his calves. "For everything."  
"You're welcome. However, to the east is the Cat's Lair."  
"Cat's Lair?"  
"It is home to the ThunderCats, allies of the Warrior Maidens."  
"That's a strange name..."  
"You wouldn't think so if you'd met them," Willia replied. "They're an alien race of cat-like people."  
"So, anything else I should know about?"  
"The ThunderCats have more or less taken care of most of the bandits that once haunted the trails," Willa explained, "and you won't have anything to fear from them."  
"Okay."  
"But, beware of the Mutants."  
"Mutants?"  
"They are enemies of the ThunderCats, of all that live on Third Earth," Willa said as if just thinking about them made her ill. "They are hideous monsters, and easily some of the worst villains you could ever meet here."  
"Monsters?" Sho felt something stir in his brain, some long distant memory. Why did Willa's account of those Mutants seem so familiar?  
"Be careful you steer very clear of them."  
"I will. Thank you again, Willa."

Willa watched as Sho made his way out of her territory, an uncertain feeling gnawing at her brain. His reaction to her mention of the Mutants... it wasn't exactly fear, nor was it exactly anything else for that matter. It was as if the word had triggered something in his mind. A memory, perhaps?  
No matter, she thought as she leapt up to grasp a nearby branch and flip herself up. I aided him, gave him supplies, and sent him on his way. Whatever his fate may be, it no longer concerns the Warrior Maidens.  
Willa had no idea how wrong she was...

-

"So, Slythe," the Simian captain of the Ravager said as the sun rose steadily into the clear blue sky. "We meet again." The four ships: Ravager, Starsweeper, Bludgeoner, and Pillage, gleamed in the brilliant light of Third Earth's sun, pale green against the golden sand. Hordes of Mutants swarmed about, unloading crate after crate of weapons and supplies from each ship and stacking them on the sand. Already, there were a fleet of Skycutters and Nosedivers assembled at the western end of the makeshift encampment, two Jackals and a few of Slythes own Reptillians taking stock of the machines. A third group, headed by Monkian, was checking the supplies of handheld weapons.  
"Indeed we do, Primor," he replied. He had met the Simian once before, when the leading clans of Plun-Darr signed the treaty to rid the universe of the ThunderCats once and for all.  
"We ran a scan of this planet before landing, and you were right about the mineral resources and metals," Primor said. "As well as the ThunderCats being here."  
"Yesss. Their numbers are few..."  
"So, why haven't you bested them yet?" Primor asked with a savage grin.  
"We have suffered numerous setbacks," Sythe replied, choking on his own fierce dislike for the Simian. "Our numbers are few as well. Or, rather, they were, yesss?"  
"Hmph. Tell me, Slythe, what was that odd pyramid structure we saw in this desert?"  
"That, Primor, is the home of Mumm-Ra. He iss the one who iss keeping the ThunderCats from seeing this gathering of our forces."  
"How?"  
"He iss a mage of rather great power."  
"An enemy of the ThunderCats?"  
"Yesss."  
"If his power is so great..."  
"Lissten," Slythe snapped. "Hiss power iss not unlimited. He needsss us."  
"I see," the Simian replied. The two looked back to the unloading of equipment. "So, do you have a stronghold on this ridiculous planet?"  
"Yess. Caslte Plun-Darr."  
"Castle Plun-Darr, eh? I shall have to see it."  
"You will, Primor. You will. For now, I suggest we retire to the Ravager. There is much to discuss, yesss?"  
"Yes."

"Arrogant reptile," Mumm-Ra snarled as he watched Slythe and the primate he called Primor strut off toward one of the ships. "I should sink the whole lot of them right now! But," he chuckled as he patted Ma-Mutt, "what's the fun in that?" Besides, he *did* need Slythe and the Mutants this time, if only as disposable targets.

-

"It's been a long time, Duncan," Agito Makashima said as he entered the dusty main chamber of the scholar's house. The sheep-like Bolkin spun about, eyes widening in fear before his face broke into a warm grin.  
"Hello, my friend!" Duncan exclaimed as he approached. Agito shook the hand he offered and returned the smile. The Bolkin - the only one in the entire Village of Scholars - was the only one in whom Agito had any faith. "What has it been, four years?"  
"Something like that." Time had lost most of its meaning to him.  
"Please, sit!" Duncan enthused. "You must tell me where you've been!"  
"I'm afraid I cannot stay long."  
"Oh, but you must! I haven't seen you in so long, old friend!"  
"Duncan, I would love to," Agito began, "but I'm afraid that some rather urgent matters have come up."  
"I see, The Bolkin said, somewhat dejected. "Still, we must talk for a bit."  
"This is not a social call, old friend. Do you still have the book?"  
"The book? Of course!" Duncan replied. "It is still hidden."  
"Good. I knew I could count on you," Agito said with a warm smile. He did not ask if Duncan had read it. Even if the Bolkin had looked into it, he would not have understood the writings. Japanese was a long-dead language, and no ciphers for it existed on Third Earth. Duncan's face took on a worried expression. In the twenty years since Agito had written and left that tome in his care, he had not once had he asked about it. "Do you remember the name of the one to whom you must give it?"  
"Sho Fukamachi," Duncan answered. "Of course I do. Agito, my friend, what is going on? You have never..."  
"He will come for it soon," Agito replied. "You must see that he gets it. Do you remember how I described him to you?"  
"Yes."  
"Good." Agito paused, looking about the darkened room. He had spent more than a few nights in this study over the past twenty years, guiding Duncan in the mythos of Second Earth. So far as the Bolkin knew, he was merely an enlightened scholar. He had no inkling of the truth. In fact, Agito had let most of the incorrect myths of Second Earth's time stand. Some things were better off left unknown. Nuclear weapons, for example, still existed in hidden silos all around Third Earth. Should anyone find those... Agito pushed those thoughts aside. Now was not the time for that. Instead, he reached into his midnight cloak and produced a rolled-up map.  
"Duncan," he said. His eyes stung with tears that wanted to be shed. "Once you give Sho Fukamachi the book, I want you to follow this map."  
"To what does it lead?'  
"Another writing of the book I gave you, one in this world's common tongue."  
"Another..."  
"Don't look so surprised, Duncan," Agito chuckled. "I knew you would look at that book. The information within is written in a long dead tongue. What is inside is meant only for him. What is in this second book, however, is meant for you."  
"What is in it?"  
"All you need to know. I'm sorry I cannot tell you more, but time is short and the wrong people could overhear. Follow that map once you give Sho the book, and no sooner. That is imperative."  
"I understand, old friend."  
"I knew you would." Agito placed a thin hand on Duncan's shoulder. "What you do with the information contained within is up to you."  
"Agito, why are you telling me this?"  
"Because, my friend, this will very likely be the last time we see each other."  
"What?"  
"Before I go, let me say that knowing you has been an unparalelled pleasure. I wish I could have talked with you more, shared more of the things I know. That second book, Duncan, is how I will do that. It is a pity that I will not be able to tell you in person."  
"Agito, you talk as if you were a dying man."  
"Perhaps I am. I am old, Duncan, by far older than you know."  
"Agito..."  
"Enough. Do you understand my request?"  
"Yes."  
"And, will you follow it?"  
"Yes, of course I will."  
"I knew you would, my friend," Agito said as he clapped a friendly hand on the Bolkin's shoulder. "It was good to have known you, Duncan."  
"The feeling is mutual," he replied. No tears were shed, no lingering good-bye's shared. They both knew that neither would do any good, and they both knew that this day was coming.  
"Live well, Duncan, and I hope you use the knowledge I have left for you wisely." With that, Agito embraced the Bolkin and made his exit.

-

"Let me say," Prime Scholar Arcturus said as he led Lion-O and Panthro into the heart of the village, "what an honor it is to have the ThunderCats pay a visit to our home."  
"The feeling is mutual," Lion-O replied, doing his best to hide his irritation. From the moment he and Panthro had entered the village, this Prime Scholar had done nothing but try to impress them with the village's simple archetecture and rich intellectual history. Matters of diplomacy were Tygra's main field of expertise, but the tiger was resting after having taken the night watch. "But, we really do have urgent business with Scholar Duncan."  
"Ah, yes, the myths concerning the War of the Guyver," Arcturus replied dismissively. "His house is just down this street, but I must say I don't know why you would be interested in such outlandish legends," the obese, bald human said. "Really, if those legends were true..." Lion-O tuned out the rest of the fat human's explanation of how they had to be false, of his rather racist views on scholarly knowledge. Who cared if Duncan was a Bolkin, how would that affect what he knew? Before he knew it, Arcturus was pointing out the small brick house which Duncan called home.  
"He is within," the human said just as the door opened and someone walked out. He was covered in a billowing black cloak, the lower half of his face all that was visible beneath the encompassing hood. The unknown human looked at the Lord of the ThunderCats briefly before bowing his head.  
"Pardon me," the hooded man said before making his leave.  
"Who was that?" Panthro asked.  
"That," Arcturus said, "is merely a pretend scholar who sometimes visits Duncan." The two ThunderCats could almost smell the disdain in his voice. "I don't know his name, but his visits are infrequent enough for me not to bother having him barred."  
"Really." There weren't many native people on Third Earth Lion-O had an actual dislike for, but Arcturus was definitely climbing toward the top of that short list. He was spared having to hear more of his drivel when the door to the squat brick structure opened and the Bolkin emerged.  
"ThunderCats?" he gasped in surprise. "To what do I owe the honor of such a visit?"  
"We're here for information regarding something called the Guyver," Panthro replied before Arcturus could. "We were told that you are the foremost expert on those legends."  
"Well, I have researched them extensively for some time," Duncan said with a blush, "but I would hardly call myself an expert. Please, come inside!"

Lion-O was amazed at the sheer amount of old books which lined the walls of Duncan's home. Every inch of shelf space was occupied, with more books stacked in piles on the floor. The air smelled of musty pages and dust, and the urge to sneeze nearly overcame the ThunderCat Lord.  
Tygra would have a field day in here, Lion-O thought as Duncan directed them to a pair of simple chairs situated in front of a dormant fireplace.  
"Would you like some tea?" Duncan asked. "Or perhaps some biscuits? I have a few left..."  
"No, thanks," Panthro replied, taking a seat across from Lion-O. "We don't want to impose."  
"Oh, well, if you're certain." Duncan pulled up another chair - one meant for someone of his small stature - and sat directly in front of them. "I really must apologize for having to deal with the Prime Scholar."  
"Well, he's definitely not one of my favorite people," Lion-O said.  
"Arcturus is arrogant, true, but still a fine scholar. Besides, he's not what you came here to discuss."  
"Right. So, what are the legends about, anyway?"  
"First, may I ask a question, Sir Panthro?"  
"Sure. But, drop the whole "sir" thing. Just call me Panthro."  
"Very well," Duncan grinned. "Why would you come all the way out here just to discuss my research on one legend?"  
"We think it has something to do with some weird readings we've received from the Korath Mountains recently."  
"Ah. I see. So, what do you wish to know?"  
"Well," Lion-O began, "we know the basic gist of the legends, but we want to know if they could be true."  
"True? Legends? Lord Lion-O..."  
"Lion-O is fine."  
"Lion-O, do you know what a legend truly is?"  
"Fairy tales handed down amongst people?"  
"Very good! Yes, most legends are merely delusion wrapped around illusion wrapped about a lie, though there are always little nuggets of truth hidden within. Scholars who research those ancient legends, such as myself, merely sift through the untruths and myths to find what is actual fact. Or, at least, what is the most feasible."  
"So, you don't believe in them?"  
"Not as such, Panthro," Duncan said, "but, I do believe that most of the legends can tell us of the ancient times. The man who just left here, in fact, has been a great source of information to me."  
"But, not on the Guyver," Lion-O said.  
"No, but on the history of what is known as Second Earth, or the Reign of Man."  
"And how would he have this information?" Panthro asked.  
"Again, my friend, you misunderstand me. He helps me find the truths in the legends, to coroborrate them, to piece together at least a small fraction of the picture of life during Second Earth."  
"Okay, but what about the energy readings that come from those mountains?"  
"Alas, that is the one thing I cannot explain. I do wish that magic and the supernatural were not possible factors."  
"Why?"  
"Because, Lion-O, they are forces too random and too dangerous to do any research on. What few texts on magic I have come across are so apocryphal that no scholar can make heads or tails of them. Besides, I need not mention how damaging they can be. Mumm-Ra is a prime example of that."  
"How well we know it," Panthro grunted. "So, you think that Guyver never existed?"  
"I have no definte proof one way or the other," Duncan said at length, "but, no. I do not believe he ever did, nor Alkanphel. At least, not as the legends represent them."  
"More nuggets of truth among the lies," Lion-O said.  
"Precisely. I have found no concrete evidence to prove the myths about them, since no one can enter the Korath Mountains. Also, almost all of the history of Second Earth is gone. What little I have managed to find indicates that human civilization had been rather advanced. Unfortunately, I have no idea how sophisticated their sciences were."  
Lion-O and Panthro exchanged slightly disappointed glances. This had been a dead end.  
"I am sorry I could not help you more, ThunderCats, but..."  
"No need to apologize," Lion-O said with a smile. "You told us what you knew and for that, we're very grateful."  
"I am glad I could assist. Please, stop by again sometime! I would love to hear about the history of your world."  
"We'll make a point of it," Panthro replied kindly as the two ThunderCats took their leave.

Duncan shut the door behind them, cutting off Arcturus' irritating voice. First Agito shows up, speaking cryptically about urgent matters that had come up and how they would likely never meet again, then the ThunderCats appear asking about his research on the myths concerning the Guyver. The Bolkin had never believed in coincidence, and saw no reason to start doing so now.  
So, what was the connection? It was true that Agito had been very helpful concerning some of the missing pieces of Second Earth's past and - though he insisted that no one else knew - the human had been a consummate master of Third Earth history, but even he had never bought into the legends about the Guyver. Nor even the one about...  
"Wait!" Duncan shouted as he flung the door open and darted into the noonday sun. Lion-O, Panthro, and Arcturus each stopped and stared as he ran up to them.  
"What is it?"  
"I just recalled, Panthro, a legend that may be of interest to you. It concerns the Guyver, and also another from Thundera!"  
"What?" Lion-O nearly did a double-take at the news.  
"Yes!"  
"Oh," Arcturus said with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "The Legend of the Destroyer's Fall again? Really..."  
"I, for one, would like to hear it," he said, more to the obese Prime Scholar than to Duncan.  
"Destroyer... Thunderian... Hey, are you talking about Grune?" Panthro asked, his eyes wide.  
"Exactly! Now, most of what we know of Grune the Destroyer is, unfortunately, true. Some facts have been blurred over time, however, which is likely where this legend comes in."  
"We know that, when Grune was banished from Thundera, he landed on Third Earth and began a rampage," Lion-O said.  
"Yes, and much of the history indicates - rather reliably - that one day he met a warrior who was his total superior. They fought, and Grune was utterly destroyed."  
"Let me guess," Panthro said, "the legends say it was the Guyver."  
"Yes, but a different one than in the legends of the Korath Mountains. I remember that many of those legends also spoke of a second Guyver. As a matter of fact, I have sketches of the two in my study, if you would like to take them?"  
"We appreciate it," Lion-O replied as he and Panthro went back into Duncan's small home.

Agito turned and left, unnoticed by the two ThunderCats or the two scholars. He remembered Grune the Destroyer all too well. At first, Agito had been content to not interfere, yet on that fateful day Grune had stumbled across him, searching for some easy prey to warm up his spiked club on. It hadn't taken long before the Thunderian's threat to Third Earth's people was ended. Ten minutes? Five, maybe? Agito had forgotten over the centuries.  
Still, he was not worried. Duncan would not betray his trust. And, his reward for doing so would be the complete history of Second Earth. Most would call it lies, if not outright blasphemy, but the truth was never welcomed with open arms and open minds.  
Some things, at least, hadn't changed much from Second Earth's days.

-


	6. Guyver Rising

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Six

-

Primor's quarters aboard the Ravager - while considerably more comfortable than those of the rest of his crew - still made Slythe ill. It wasn't the dim lighting, nor was it the dank air, yet rather the rancid odor of unwashed monkey that made the Reptillian's gorge rise to the occaision. Slythe forced the urge to vomit down as he unrolled his map of Third Earth across the single table which rested on the far end of the room from Primor's bed. Slythe was somewhat grateful of that. That bed had to have smelled a hundred times worse than the air.  
"First, Captain Primor," he began, using the Simian's title merely to grease the wheels a little, "what forces have you brought to the table?"  
"Hoo. I have with me over five hundred Simians, as well as a sizeable crew of Scavengers."  
Jackals and monkeys. No reptiles, Slythe noted with some irritation.  
"The total number of Mutants - aside from your own guard force - is now well over two thousand strong."  
"Excellent, yesss. As for weapons?"  
"First, Slythe, what do *you* have to bring to this assault?"  
"Aside from the spoils of Third Earth, which you have scanned for yourself," Slythe began, "is Castle Plun-Darr, a stronghold for our forces. We also have detailed knowledge of the terrain and people of this world, as well as two Skycutters and a Nosediver at our disposal, along with our guard force."  
"So, a castle and riches are all you have, eh?" Primor said with a sneer that exposed several yellowed fangs.  
"We also have detailed knowledge of the ThunderCats' main bases, as well as their vehicles and weaponry."  
"With all that knowledge, and with the aid of this Mumm-Ra, you have still not been able to defeat them yourself? And you call yourself a Mutant?" Primor scoffed.  
"There are also the Lunataks to deal with..."  
"What?!" Primor howled. "Some of those misbegotten asshats are here?"  
"Yesss... Once the ThunderCats are out of our way, the Lunataks will fall in short order."  
"Hmmm... This is indeed getting interesting," the Simian said. "So, about the spoils of this war..."  
"There iss no need to ssquabble over that," Slythe replied. "There iss more than enough here for all of uss. Bessides, we can usse this planet as a sstaging area for further conquest, yess?"  
"Go on..."  
"One of the reassons we were unable to crush the ThunderCatss on Thundera wass that we were divided. Once they abandoned their doomed world, and we fought as one, we destroyed thousands of Thunderianss *and* banished the last remnants of their nobility to thiss backwater world. If we unite againsst them now, and remain sso, this universse will be oursss, yess?"  
"Your offer is intriguing," Primor said at length. Slythe knew that such an alliance would never last, but he had a plan for that. Yesss... "Hoo HOO! Very well. I shall commit my forces to this plan."  
"Good." Slythe listened - eyes wide - as Primor listed his obscene array of weapons before telling the Simian about the plan of attack. With such forces, victory was as good as theirs.

-

The Berbils had been something of a surprise to Sho. With such a name - and the way Willa had mentioned it - Sho had expected them to be gentle creatures. What he didn't expect, thought, was that they were a race of robot teddy bears.  
On seeing the hilt of the dagger he wore, they had immediately treated him with respect. Apparently, he thought, these Berbils and the Warrior Maidens were on rather good terms. Their synthesized humming was somewhat soothing, as was their singing as he ate another of what they called candyfruit. Sho had to admit, he rather liked the Berbils so far.  
"Another candyfruit?" a Berbil with brown fur - many of them had that - and a small flower behind one ear asked in a vaguely female voice.  
"No, thank you, I'm kinda full." Somehow, he didn't think they really had anything in the way of gender. If they did, however, Sho felt no real desire to learn about it. "I really do appreciate your hospitality, though."  
"It is no trouble," RobearBill said as he walked up to them. This one had to be the chief of the village. "You are a friend of Willa. That makes you a friend of Berbils."  
"I'm glad you think so, RobearBill," Sho replied, finishing off the candyfruit. The sun was beginning to sink past the trees, heralding the approach of night. His canteen had been refilled, his stomach was full, it was time to go. Despite how nice they were, Sho had a vaguely disturbing notion about staying amongst anyone for too long. He didn't know why, but he felt that it was best that he keep moving, like some sort of ingrained instinct. "Thank you again, but I really must go."  
"Why?" RobearBill asked. "Night is coming. There are many dangerous things in the forest at night. You can stay here."  
"I... really shouldn't..."  
"You are a friend of the Warrior Maidens. That means, you are a friend of the Berbils."  
"Thank you, RobearBill, but..."  
"Are you also a friend of the ThunderCats?"  
"The ThunderCats?" Willa had mentioned them, he recalled. "No. I haven't met them."  
"Everyone knows of the ThunderCats," RobearBill said.  
"I'm... uh... new around these parts. I've heard about them, though."  
"Oh," the Berbil replied. "Please, Sho, stay tonight. It is dangerous out there alone."  
"Well..." Sho had to admit, he didn't know very much about Third Earth - and what the hell happened to First and Second Earth? - and the robot bear had a point. "Okay. One night can't hurt."

-

"Who would have thought it?" Tygra asked as he glanced down at the two sketches of the Guyvers. "An exiled ThunderCat wrapped up in this myth."  
"Stranger things have happened," Cheetara added. "So, Duncan says the myths are just that?"  
"Yes," Lion-O replied. "It still doesn't explain anything about what came out of the Korath Mountains, though."  
"Looks like this Duncan guy thinks that seeing is believing."  
"What you see isn't always what is, WilyKat," Tygra said. "I do wish I could have visited this Village of Scholars myself, but I see where Scholar Duncan is coming from. All he has are myths and folklore. Nothing concrete."  
"Maybe I should have told him what we really know about this," Lion-O said. "He might have..."  
"Said we were mad," Panthro finished.  
"But, it wasn't..."  
"Heed his words, Lion-O."  
The ThunderCat Lord looked up as the ephemeral image of Jaga appeared before him.  
"Jaga?"  
"The Code of Thundera forbids lies, but there are times when the truth must be couched in careful terms, and revealed with caution."  
"But..."  
"Had you told Scholar Duncan what you know, not only would he have thought you at least mistaken, he would never have given you the information you now have."  
"Still, what we have tells us nothing about Guyver, or what he truly is."  
"There is no knowledge that is not power, Lion-O," Jaga said as he wrapped his cape about him and faded away. "Remember that..."  
"Hey!" WilyKit piped up, "maybe this is all some kinda trick? Mumm-Ra could be trying to lead us away from something with this."  
"That *is* an option," Tygra admitted. "And I don't like what it implies."  
"I don't get it," WilyKat said. "Jaga must know something, so why doesn't he just come out and tell us?"  
"Jaga has his reasons," Panthro replied sharply.  
"Let's tighten up our security," Lion-O said. "No sense in taking chances."  
"Agreed," Cheetara replied.  
"Then it's settled," Tygra said. "Are there any objections?" Silence. "Very well. Meeting adjourned."

-

Slythe poured the Kirgash - a foul steaming brew which Plun-Darr was infamous for - into the four iron flasks as Monkian and Jackalman joined him and Primor aboard the Ravager's bridge. The design was the same as other Mutant ships: a central command post at the rear with the navigation and weapons consoles directly in front. Monkian and Jackalman each took seats at a console, taking a flask of the evil-smelling drink, as Slythe called the meeting to order.  
"The time iss now," he said. "Third Earth will belong to uss, as it wass meant to!" Each Mutant raised the Kirgash in toast, and took a swig. "Watch the viewsscreen."  
The blank screen flickered to life, showing an area around the Cat's Lair that they had tried - and failed - to take many times over.  
"As you know," Slythe began, "the Cat'sss Lair is the main sstronghold of the ThunderCatss."  
"It's also where the Eye of Thundera is," Monkian added.  
"Look, Slythe," Jackalman said, "I appreciate the Kirgash and all, but why call a meeting? All we need to do is storm the Lair with everything we..."  
"Fool!" Slythe roared. "Numberss alone will not win thiss war! The ThunderCatss have shown time and time again that they are more than capable of overcoming overwhelming odds! Why iss this?"  
"Because of that damn sword, hoo HOO!"  
"And the fact that their technology is - or rather - has been until now superior to our own."  
"True, but the main reassons are that they work as a team, and they have many allies on Third Earth, yess?"  
"I see," Jackalman said. "Divide and conquer, eh?"  
"Exactly," Slythe said with a grotesque leer. "We have only two main concerns in this opening battle, and they are the Warrior Maidens and the Tower of Omenss. In order to take Cat'ss Lair effectively, we musst divide the ThunderCatss focus. Monkian!"  
"Yes?"  
"You are to lead the Skycutter brigades. The Warrior Maidens, while primitive, are numerous. Their jungle home also makes ground fighting difficult. The only vehicle we have which can go through there is the Fist Pounder. The refits are done?"  
"Indeed they are!" Monkian cried with glee.  
"You will enter with the Fistpounder and damage their kingdom's tree supports while the Skycutters blast them from above. The fire-launcher in Castle Plun-Darr is rebuilt, and will aid in that effort."  
"The ThunderCats," Primor said, "will send help."  
"You, Jackalman, will lead a regiment of Nosedivers through the Berbil Village."  
"Giving *me* the easy job, Slythe?" the jackal said as he finished his Kirgash.  
"Allow me to elaborate. The area around the Berbil village is open enough for Nosedivers. The Skycutters and the Fistpounder can take care of the Treetop Kingdom."  
"Hoo! The ThunderCats will be fighting us on two fronts at once!"  
"Yess, Monkian, but a small force will remain at the Lair for defense. The main thrust of our assault will be there."  
"But, what about the Tower of Omens?"  
"What about it?" Slythe asked. "The ThunderCats in the Tower only have the ThunderStrike, and it is only a threat when all three partss of it are together. If they come to the aid of Cat'ss Lair, they will be facing not only more Skycutters and Nosedivers, but also the Ravager itself. Bessides, Primor was generous enough to provide use of a Warbot."  
"Hoo HOO! More have been made?"  
"Indeed, my Simian brother," Primor said. "It shall lead the assault, with the Skycutters and my own ship giving additional fire and the Nosedivers preventing any escapes or the other ThunderCats from returning."  
"Nyehhahahaa! Hot damn, Slythe, I almost feel sorry for the ThunderCats!"  
"A toast!" Slythe roared, hoisitng his Kirgash. "To Victory!"  
"TO VICTORY!" Monkian, Jackalman, and Primor roared.

Though he would never have said so aloud, Mumm-Ra had been shocked at the amount of weapons Primor's fleet had dropped on Third Earth. Prmor, it seemed, was a warmonger in every sense of the term. Such obscene firepower on Third Earth had not been part of the plan.  
"Bah, it doesn't matter," he said. "When Slythe tries to seize everything, he will lose exactly that much before even thinking about warring with me." Afterward, Mumm-Ra would make a point of crushing what the reptile had left.  
The preparations were done, and the forces allocated to the assault were assembled. By dawn, all the pieces would be in place and Mumm-Ra would cease his protective cloaking spell. If nothing else, the Ever-Living looked forward to the chaos about to be unleashed.

-

Cheetara sat before the main viewscreen and watched as the first tinges of dawn slowly crept over the horizon. All had been quiet - boring, really - and the cheetah was looking forward to a little catnap. First light was only twenty minutes away, thank goodness, and...  
"What?!" It happened all at once. Every alarm in Cat's Lair began to wail, sensors and threat readouts alike going insane with sudden influx of information. From the east and west, great explosions bloomed into the rising day, Cheetara struggling to assess just what the flaming hell had happened.  
"By Jaga..." The viewscreen showed the Treetop Kingdom rapidly succumbing to flames that cancelled out the sunrise. Meteors of ignited fuel and rock rained down onto the home of the Warrior Maidens as tiny specks whizzed about over the trees.  
"What the blasted hell?!" Panthro shouted as he emerged into the control room, the other ThunderCats just behind.  
"The Warrior Maidens..." Cheetara began before Tygra rushed to the monitor and enhanced the image.  
"Skycutters!" he snarled. "I count... Great Jaga..."  
"Over a hundred..."  
"Movement on the ground!" WIlyKat said, having awakened with his sister and activated another console. "Lone vehicle, it's huge! It's knocking the trees down left and right!"  
"Registry identifies it as the Fist Pounder!"  
"Cat's Lair!" Lynx-O's voice said as a quarter of the main screen flickered and his face appeared. "The..."  
"We see it!" Lion-O shouted. "What in the..."  
"The Berbil Village is under attack!" Cheetara said as another quarter of the screen showed thier huts burning and the tiny robots running for their lives. "I count seventy-five Nosedivers!"  
"The Mutants are trying a squeeze play," Lynx-O said. "I am also registering enormous fireballs being launched from Castle Plun-Darr! How did they..."  
"The Warrior Maidens and the Berbils are calling for help, shneyarf shnarf! What are we gonna do?!"  
"We can't leave them to face these attacks alone!"  
Lion-O forced his mind to clear itself, to focus.  
"Cheetara, do you scan anymore Mutant forces?"  
"None!"  
"You, WilyKat, WilyKit, and Snarf stay here. Put all defenses on full."  
"Got it!" the twins choroused.  
"Panthro, you and Tygra take the ThunderTank and the HoverCat to the Berbil Village. You must hold off those Nosedivers!"  
"Understood!" Panthro exclaimed as he and the tiger charged off to the left hangar.  
"Lynx-O! You, Bengali, and Pumyra take the ThunderStrike and meet me at the Treetop Kingdom! I'll take the ThunderClaw and we'll clear out those Skycutters!"  
"Lion-O," the old lynx said, "this may be a trap. There may be other forces..."  
"There's no time!" Lion-O shouted back.  
"Understood. Just hang on until we get there. Tower of Omens out."  
"Lynx-O has a point," Cheetara said before Lion-O could go the the right hangar which housed the ThunderClaw and the Feliner.  
"Cheetara, I cannot let the Berbils and the Warrior Maidens get slaughtered! If this is a trap, and you can't defend the Lair, take the Feliner and run."  
"But..."  
"Listen, the Lair isn't worth your lives. If it comes down to it, then run!"  
"Good luck, Lion-O," WilyKit said, clearly frightened at the sudden catastrophe.  
"Thanks, and the same to you."  
"HO!"

-

Sho leapt clear as another of the strange vehicles screamed past, the drill on its front ramming into a Berbil hut and grinding it to dust. His heart pounded like a mad drum in his chest as he coughed against thick smoke. Screams of agony and lasers filled his ears in a ghastly symphony, one hauntingly familiar.  
He knew he should be terrified, yet any fear was displaced by... by *it*... the presence which always waited behind. Only now, it no longer waited. He could feel it more clearly now, could sense its urgent pleas. What did it want?!  
"Nooo!"  
Sho looked up as the Berbil lay on the ground, one leg mangled and the strange vehicle's grinding front poised at it. The thing stopped, and its pilot emerged...  
Sho's heart skipped several beats at the sight of the humanoid jackal. Hatred began to bloom in his chest, rage at the thing  
(Zoanoid)  
which threatened the Berbil. The presence was screaming, now, as Sho picked up the length of timber and charged.

Jackalman hefted his axe, savoring every moment. No Mutant could resist a helpless victim, and...  
The blow landed squarely in his back, sending him head over heels onto the grass. He rose up, furious, groping for his axe at the sight of the lone human with the burning eyes.  
"You... *dare* to assault a Mutant?"

Sho held the shaft of wood ready, instincts he didn't know he had coming to life. He did not flinch as two more Berbils appeared and scurried away with their injured comrade. He had eyes only for the jackal in front of him, yet he still heard the presence begging him for release.  
"ThunderCats!" he heard a voice shout. The jackal spun about, and Sho siezed the chance. The timber came down on the canine-man's shoulder, bringing a howl of pain from him just as two of the yellow vehicles exploded and a strange white tank emerged.

Panthro roared in fury as he set all the ThunderTank's weapons to auto-fire. Each cannon sent blasts of concentrated ions lancing through the smoke-blackened air, each striking true and sending a Nosediver and Mutant to death. He didn't need the radar display to show him just how bad the scenario was, as a blast glanced off the tank's armor.  
"Tygra! There's too many! Clear out some of these Nosedivers so I can get room to move!"  
"You got it!" the other's voice replied as three more Nosedivers burst into flames.

-

"Rally!" Willa shouted above the cacophony of shrieks and weapons fire. The arrows flew from their bows, streaking skyward to impale the monkey pilots of those flying machines. Many arrows were rewarded with the taste of blood, sending the machines out of control and tumbling into the others.  
"It's coming!"  
"Look ouuuuAAAUGHH!"  
Willa looked down at the enormous machine, twin fists smashing every tree in sight as it rolled over the burning forest floor and any warrior unlucky enough to...  
"NAYDA! NOOOOOO!"  
She was down there, arrow aimed at the monkey driving the machine. All else faded, unimportant as she prepared to let fly the shaft of wood and flint, the enormous white fist of the machine streaking forward, the...  
Willa shut her eyes too late to prevent the image of her beloved sister's broken form sail away from the metal fist, its white armor now coated red.  
The flames now burned within as well as without. The screams of her dying Warrior Maidens fell on her deaf ears, the horrible whooshing roars of the massive fireballs went unheard over the singing fury in Willa's veins. Her legs moved of their own accord, dagger drawn as she leapt nimbly down the branches of what trees were still standing.  
"Blood shall be paid with blood, filthy APE!"

Monkian looked up in time to see her bearing down on him, her dagger gleaming wickedly in the flickering light of the fires. The mace was in his hand, however, far too late to prevent the blade from ebedding itself deep into his chest. His nerves lit with electical torrents of pain as his heart tore itself asunder on the razor keen steel.  
Monkain's last act on this mortal coil was to swing his mace about, and his last pleasure was the sound of it crunching the skull of the Warrior Maiden which had impaled him.

Lion-O was blessedly unaware of the death of his friend as the ThunderClaw pierced the haze of smoke and its main guns belched ionic death. Two Skycutters erupted into balls of liquid flame as several more converged on him. He horsed the control yoke back, sending the ThunderClaw racing skyward into a swirling mob of Mutant vehicles and scattering them in confusion.  
I have to keep them off balance, he thought as a burst of gold colored energy lanced past his arm. The Sword of Omens rang in the sky, assuming full battle length without the command, and Lion-O willed it to act.  
"HOOOOO!" The shield encompassed him, deflecting several more angry bursts of laser fire. If he could hold on long enough...  
"YES!" he whooped as the ThunderStrike came into view. The two pods split from the main body of the ship, arcing off to engage Skycutters while Lynx-O in the central section fired bolt after bolt of blue energy around Lion-O's position. The ThunderCat lord relaxed his shield once the debris was past, and joined the battle once more in earnest.  
"By Jaga..." he muttered as he glanced down at the flaming ruins of what had once been the proud and noble Treetop Kingdom. Though Castle Plun-Darr was too far away to be seen, he could still trace the incoming ballistic arcs of the fireballs being launched from its hideous face.  
"Be careful of those fireballs!" he shouted over the commlink.

-

"The ThunderCatss are fully engaged, Primor," Slythe said, rubbing his hands together with glee. "It iss time."  
"I've always wanted to do this," Primor snarled as he ordered the Ravager forward out of the range of the last vestiges of Mumm-Ra's cloaking spell.

-

"Oh, this looks bad," Sho gasped as he crouched over RobearBelle. He knew nothing of Berbil physiology, but he could easily tell the the robot bear's wounds were fatal.  
The shadow came and went as the flying vehicle - piloted by what looked like a human tiger - flew overhead. Twin lasers flared from its front, exploding two more of the yellow flying drills.  
(Guyver.)  
"Huh?"  
(You must release it.)  
(Release what?!)  
(Fool!) the voice screamed in his head. (You know what it is. You feel it, you feel its calling! You must release it!)  
(How?) Another explosion, this one far closer, sent a cloud of splintered wood sailing just over Sho's head.  
(Speak its name! Call it, damn you!)  
(It's... name...)  
The world ground to a halt as the connection was made. He could see it, floating in the ether, hear it calling his name. He saw, he heard, and he knew. The word filled his mind, ricocheting about the insides of his brain like a mad bullet, building power for its release into the physical world. His shoulders tingled, the air all about him charged with terrible energy. It was time.  
The word came up in his throat, and instead of pleading, Sho heard it cry, "Yes! Yes! YES!"  
"GUYVER!"

Panthro gritted his teeth as the burst of laser energy hit the ThunderTank broadside. Many spots on its armor were black and dented from the beatings it was taking, and the wailing of damage alerts only made matters worse. One front paw of the tank was nearly sheared off, the cannon beneath a smoldering wreck.  
She can't take a whole lot more of this, Panthro thought as he brought the skidding rear treads back under control. All about the ruined Berbil village were the burning wrecks of homes and Nosedivers scattered amongst the twisted ruins of what were once Berbils and Mutants.  
"You freaks are gonna pay for this!" he spat as the auto-target systems identified a Nosediver directly ahead and locked the remaining weapons on it. Just a little pressure on the firing button and...  
Panthro forgot to shoot when a massive explosion hammered the air. Stunned, he whipped his head about to the source - a human boy standing in a crater amid flying topsoil. What kind of weapon...  
"Panthro, what's happening?" Tygra's voice shouted over the commlink.  
"No idea..."  
It was over as soon as it began, and Panthro's eyes widened at the sight of it. The lean, alien figure stood tall within the depression of smashed dirt. Plates of pale teal armor covered its body over coils of purple matter that seemed to writhe within the carapace. On each arm was a short spike, both of which extended backward suddenly into graceful, shimmering blades. On its head beneath a tiny emerald was a glowing medallion, two more such embedded in tracks near the fin atop its head.  
It was a near duplicate of one of the sketches he had brought back from Duncan's home.  
"Looks like things just got complicated," he muttered.


	7. Beaten but not Defeated

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Seven

==================

Mumm-Ra was seldom surprised. When one lived for thousands of years, such words as that managed to escape one's vocabulary. This, however, was one of those times where that word came back in full force with a sadistic smile.  
Yes, he had expected to root out the other Guyver.  
Yes, he had expected it to do severe damage to the Mutant army.  
But, he hadn't expected it to appear in the Berbil village, the area of weakest offense.  
Nor had he expected it to be so powerful.  
Lastly, he hadn't expected Guyver to be a human boy.  
"Such power," he said as - in the depths of his couldron - the Guyver grabbed a Nosediver by its drill and swung it about like a club. The Mutant pilot had abandoned the vehicle as Guyver swung it in an arc that sent two more of the machines spiralling into meatfruit trees to explode gloriously. The Ancient Spirits of Evil had never shown him violence such as this! Mumm-Ra was impressed.  
"Ancient Spirits of Evil... Transform this decayed form... to Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living!"  
Perhaps he should face this creature himself...

-

The battle was lost. Lion-O knew this even as he shot down another Skycutter. The Treetop Kingdom was burning like a giant funeral pyre - the fireballs of Castle Plun-Darr having done the most damage - and the damnable Mutants were still dropping bombs and moving in for strafing runs of the trees.  
Lion-O had never felt more powerless in all his life. The homeland of the ThunderCat's most staunch ally was destroyed despite his intervention. How many had died down there? Did he really want to know?  
Lion-O pushed such thoughts out of his mind as he focused on ridding this part of Third Earth of the new Mutant army. All that mattered then was survival.

-

"Something's coming!" WilyKit shouted. "It's huge!"  
The viewscreen came to life, revealing the four-legged monstrosity stomping toward the lair. The sunlight gleamed off its brushed metal frame as trees snapped before its passing. Cheetara felt her nerves turn to ice at the sight of it.  
"A Warbot!" Oh, no...  
"This is Cat's Lair calling... No good!" WilyKat said, his voice cracking with fear. "The channels are jammed!"  
"This was their plan the whole time," Cheetara snarled. "Ready the defenses!"  
"Ballista online!"  
"Laser turrets ready!"  
She knew it wouldn't be enough. The Lair hadn't done well against the first Warbot that had been sent against it, and likely wouldn't do any better now, but be damned if she'd just give up Cat's Lair without a fight!  
"FIRE!"

"The kitties are trying to fight the Warbot," Slythe said in a mocking tone from the Ravager's bridge. The ball of ignited fuel which had launched from the Ballista port in the Lair's left arm washed harmlessly against the machine's armor as it pressed closer to the ThunderCat's home. "How quaint. How useless!"  
Brilliant shafts of ruby energy lanced from the eyes of the Lair's head, only to be deflected by the Warbot's shield. Slythe watched the display form the Warbot's visual sensors and his lips twisted in a sick grin while the energy of the Lair's lasers was converted and placed into the machine's spare power reserves.  
"That's right," Primor grunted. "Give my Warbot more power to destroy your Lair with."

-

"By the Moons of Thundera..." Tygra gasped as their strange new ally - at least he hoped this Guyver was on their side - smashed a Nosediver's front with a single blow. Before the Mutant attack vehicle could crash or the Jackal pilot could escape, he had lifted it and sent it sailing into another group.  
"C'mon, Tygra!" Panthro's voice shouted. "Let's give him a hand!"

(Do not fear.)  
(Easy for you to say! What the hell is this?)  
Sho leapt clear of another of the flying machines, and acted on pure instinct. It streaked below him just as a thin beam of emerald light burst from his head. The laser pierced the back of the pilot and the engines beneath him, sending both up in a roar of flame.  
(And how the hell did I do that?)  
(The knowledge is still within you,) that damned enigmatic voice replied. (Even if you do not realize it.)  
(What...)  
(Focus on the battle! You will understand!)

"I do like his style," Panthro said as he opened up with another round of autocannon fire. The Berbil village was ruined, treadmarks from the ThunderTank and flaming piles of wreckage which had once been Nosedivers and homes littered the landscape. How many Berbils had died from this battle? If those damn Mutants hadn't attacked...  
"GUYVER!" roared a voice that set Panthro's blood to boiling. Of course Mumm-Ra had to be involved. What did he care of innocent lives?

Tygra saw the demon sail toward the battlezone and heard him shout. That wretched mummy had to have been the brains behind all this. The tiger turned toward the flying abomination, weapons ready. Mumm-Ra would pay for this!  
"What?!" The blast of angry red energy covered the HoverCat for a brief moment before the instrument panel went dead and the vehicle plummeted to earth. Tygra braced himself as the bottom of the HoverCat dug a deep trench into the trampled earth of the former Berbil Village, sliding to a stop just outside their flaming crop of foodstuffs.  
Still Nosedivers around, he said as the whip encircled his body and the light bent about him. If he could get to the ThunderTank, he would have a far better chance of survivng this debacle.

-

"YAAAAAAAH!" WIlyKat screamed as the control console erupted into flames a scant second before he leapt clear. The stone of the Lair rocked with another blast of energy as sparks showered from the ruined machines of the Control Chamber. Cheetara held her balance, staff at the ready. Cracks were beginning to snake their way up the walls as the Warbot continued pounding against the walls of their home. If anything, this one seemed stronger than the one from before.  
"We just lost the Ballista!" WilyKit shouted over the din.  
"SHNEYAF! The lasers are out, too! We're done for!"  
The floor rumbled as another blast rocked the Lair, sending clouds of pulverized stone drifting toward the floor amid lengths of severed cable. Cheetara knew what had to be done, much as it galled her.  
"We have to go! Quickly!"  
"Best news I've heard all day, shnarf snarf!"  
"How are we gonna get the Feliner past that Warbot?" WilyKit asked.  
"We may have to run for it."  
"But..."  
"MOVE!"

"It iss time," Slythe said as the Warbot's arms slammed into the chest of the Lair a final time. The stonework crumbled into ruin, leaving a gaping hole in the cat-shaped structure. Slythe found the image rather pleasing.  
"Very well," Primor said, then over the intercom, "Skycutters! GO!"  
From beneath the ship, a large section of the armored hull split apart and slid slowly into recesses hidden in the structure. At the very moment the doors opened wide enough, a horde of Mutant Skycutters - piloted by Primor's own guard force - swarmed into the smoke-blackened day.

-

"What the hell is that?" Sho asked as the... thing... descended in front of him. It was huge, taller than him, and covered in bulging muscle that stretched gray, mottled flesh. On its chest was emblazoned a pair of snakes in a blood-red circle, strips of bangages waving in the wind. From its hideous face beamed a pair of cruel, glowing eyes above a mouth lined with wicked-looking fangs.  
(Be careful, Sho.)  
(What...)  
(That is Mumm-Ra. Do not underestimate him.)  
"Guyver," it cackled. "So nice to finally meet you!"  
"You!" Sho shouted as the realization clicked. "You're responsible for this!"  
"What if I am?" Mumm-Ra taunted. "You should feel honored, Guyver. After all, I went through so much trouble just to smoke you out. You should be thanking me!"  
"Thanking you?!" Sho's heart pounded in his chest, his nerves aflame with terrible rage. This demon, this Mumm-Ra, had sacrificed so many innocent lives to...  
"Kronos..."  
"What?"  
Kronos. That name sent chills of fear and spikes of fury through him all at once. Mumm-Ra. Kronos. What...  
"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!"  
Mumm-Ra roared with laughter, making Sho even angrier.  
"You? Kill me? It cannot be done, boy! But, you are welcome to try!"  
Sho replied with a lunging punch, aimed at Mumm-Ra's head. The hideous creature twisted to evade at the last second, delivering a blow to Sho's back that he hardly felt.  
"You'll have to do better than that, boy!"  
"So will you!" Sho twisted about, leg extended in a sweeping roundhouse that Mumm-Ra also avoided. Sho pressed the attack, launching blow after blow that never managed to slam home. Whatever this Mumm-Ra was, he was certainly agile!  
"I'm growing tired of this game, Guyver!" Mumm-Ra said after avoiding another punch. "Time to play by MY rules!"  
Sho had no time to react as the beam of crimson energy rammed into his stomach. The air was forced from his lungs as the blast hurtled him backward over the burning remains of the Berbil Village and through one of the few standing walls that remained.

-

"Cat's Lair! Come in, Cat's Lair!" Lion-O shouted, to the reply of static. He saw the plume of smoke rising from its direction, yet staying ahead of the Skycutters that still filled the sky took every ounce of piloting skill he posessed.  
No time to use the Sword, he thought, spiralling down to evade a Skycutter which had gained a firing position on him. And I can't get free of these damn Mutants!  
They'll be okay. They just have to be.  
Jaga, please let them be okay...

-

The blast had knocked Cheetara off her feet as the daylight poured into the once-closed hallway. She tried to rise just as a net closed around her.  
"Lemme go!"  
"Hey!"  
"Shnaaaarf!"  
Cheetara struggled against the threads of the snare, even as her strength fled her. Thundrainium... had to be...  
She felt herself dragged across sharp rubble, out the gaping wound in the Lair's chest, and dangling above the ground.  
"No..."  
The Warbot held them aloft as a group of Skycutters circled above, firing bursts of energy into the very heart of the Lair itself. Cheetara shut her eyes to the sight of it.  
"Like our re-decorating?" boomed Slythe's hateful voice. "Don't worry, you can room at Castle Plun-Darr for awhile. That is, until we get tired of you. Then you'll be feeding the maggots!"

-

Sho rose from the wreckage in time to see Mumm-Ra send a blast of energy toward the white cat-like tank which was being driven by a dark-skinned man who - if he hadn't known better - looked a lot like a human panther. The tank swerved clear, the crimson bolt sending a plume of dirt into the air where it hit.  
Now's my chance! he thought, commanding the green laser in his forehead to fire again. The light streaked to Mumm-Ra's hideous head merely to be deflected by an invisible wall of force.  
"Gyeh heh heh... So, you thought to get the drop on Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living?"  
"Damn you!"  
"Damn YOU, boy!" the demonic creature roared. His left hand shot out, sending another blast of red energy. Sho dodged right and sprung forward over the remaining distance.  
"Not so fast, whelp!" Mumm-Ra teased as he sailed upward. Another blast landed at Sho's feet, launching him backward. He righted himself quickly, landing on his feet well away from the smoking crater.

This is too easy, Mumm-Ra thought as another beam from the ThunderTank washed against his shield. I had thought Guyver to be far more powerful than this! Could it be that I was mistaken?  
It didn't matter. At least the ThunderCats were getting the hell beat out of them. That alone made this a real red letter day in his book. Now, to take care of things here and get back to the sarcophagus before his power ran out.

"This looks bad, Panthro."  
"You're telling me?" the panther replied as he swung the ThunderTank about for another pass. "We gotta take that bone-bag out! Re-route the auxilliary batteries to the cat blaster!"  
"Got it!"

(Get up there!)  
(Uh-huh. Care to tell me how?)  
(The orb at your waist acts as a gravity controller. It will allow you to fight in the air.)  
Sho glanced down at it.  
(It also acts as a weapon. It may be powerful enough to get past Mumm-Ra's shield. Focus on it.)  
(How...)  
(You will know! The Guyver will show you!)  
(Okay. Here goes...)

"Give it up, ThunderCats!" Mumm-Ra shouted as he floated above the burning village. "By now, your puny Lair has been sacked- Gya hah! - by the rest of the Mutant Army! I shudder to think what Slythe has in store for the ones you left behind!"  
"NO!" Panthro roared as he aimed the cat blaster at Mumm-Ra's floating corpse.  
"Almost there, Panthro!" Tygra shouted. "Just a few more connnections, and we'll have it!"  
"Why bother? Just give in to the.. the... WHAAAAT?!"

"You think you're the only one who can fly around here?" Sho snarled as he hovered in front of the gloating monster. "And don't think that shield will save you, either! It's payback time!"  
I can't believe I'm doing this! he thought excitedly as he sailed toward Mumm-Ra. What else can this thing do?  
"NOOOO! I will not be beaten... YAAAAAAAGHHH!"  
"Looks like you already are!" the panther below shouted as the torrent of brillaint blue energy slammed into Mumm-Ra's shield. Sho saw the conflicting powers as the barrier began to give way. Just a little closer and...  
Images appeared in his mind of the orb which granted him flight, of the weapon that voice had mentioned. Sho focused on them, heard the thoughts of the Guyver, and understood. This would do the trick!  
He cupped his hands before him and pictured it forming. The power came easily, its touch through his nerves as familiar as that of a lover. He watched Mumm-Ra struggle against the weapon below as the crackling sphere of black energy formed in his hands. Just a little more... and...  
The words came naturally enough. Sho knew, somehow, that they were unimportant yet they burst from his lips like a battle cry.  
"PRESSURE... CANNON!"

Tygra watched as the Guyver cried out and the orb burst from his hands. He couldn't look away as the energy sphere shattered Mumm-Ra's weakened shield and...  
"Holy Jaga," Panthro gasped. The orb entered the mummy's chest, exploding violently out the other side amid chunks of dead flesh and lifeless blood. Mumm-Ra immediately fell to earth, bandages wrapping about his body as he screamed in horrible agony.  
"By... the... Ancient..." the demon mage gasped, collapsing to his knees. "This... cannot... be..."  
"It is, Mumm-Ra," Panthro said as he leapt out of the ThunderTank. "Your days are done on Third Earth!"  
"Not... quite yet... Panther..." Mumm-Ra wheezed. "I... am not called... the Ever Living... for nothing..."  
Panthro readied his nunchaku just as Mumm-Ra faded from view and vanished entirely. The Guyver, for his part, drifted down to earth. His breath came in great gasps, his shoulders slumped and his legs bent. The armor shrank, then leapt clear of the boy's body. Within moments, the armor had grown translucent and disappeared itself just before the boy collapsed.  
"Who is he?" Tygra asked while Berbils began to emerge from hiding places they had prepared for just such an attack.  
"Don't know," Panthro replied. "Maybe these guys have a clue?"

-

"Well, now. That was impressive."  
"No kidding, Alluro. What was it?"  
"I wish I knew," TugMug said. "But I could have sworn that thing used a gravity weapon."  
"Looks like he's all tuckered out," Chilla added. "Poor baby."  
"What I'm interested in," Luna said, "is how it dealt with Mumm-Ra. I've NEVER seen that bastard wounded so badly!"  
"Nor have I," Alluro's condescending voice replied. "But I must admit, I rather liked the sight of it."  
"Prepare SkyTomb!" Luna shouted. "Make sure all our systems are at peak effeciency! I have a feeling that this is only just beginning!"

-

Mumm-Ra staggered back toward his sarcophagus, the gaping wound in his chest sending waves of torment throughout his undead being. Never. NEVER had he been injured so badly at the hands of anyone. Not even his masters in ancient Egypt, when his name had been Ka-Tet, had ever delivered such pain as this!  
"Almost... dead..." Mumm-Ra managed as the stone coffin drew ever nearer. "Not... much... time..."  
The cold stone of the sarcophagus greeted him, encomapssed him as the energies of the Ancient Spirits of Evil filled his decayed frame. This would take time to heal. A lot of time. But, Mumm-Ra was not dead. Mumm-Ra could never die.  
"There will be a reckoning for this, Guyver," he muttered as the lid closed over him. "Both you and the ThunderCats will rue this day."

-

"No..."  
It was impossible. Inconceivable. But it still was.  
"By Thundera," Bengali said from just behind.  
Lion-O stared blankly at the smoking rubble which had once been Cat's Lair. The smoldering heap of debris covered the paws of the former stone fortress, a testament to defeat. Cheetara, WilyKit, WilyKat, Snarf, all...  
"Sword of Omens! Give me sight beyond sight!" They had to have made it out!  
"What do you see?"  
"Oh, no..." The Eye's vision became his own, and Lion-O saw it. Cheetara and the others left in the Lair... all in chains... all captured... "This was their plan all along..."  
"Lion-O!" Panthro's voice shouted as the ThunderTank - much the worse for wear - pulled up. He lowered the sword and looked to his comrades. "What happened..."  
"The mutants have our friends," Lion-O growled. "We have to rescue them!"  
"I agree," Lynx-O said, "But first..."  
"But nothing! I will NOT let our fellow ThunderCats stay in the hands of the Mutants!"  
"Lynx-O is right..."  
Lion-O was silenced as the ephemeral image of Jaga appeared before him.  
"I know you are angry, Lion-O, and I know how desperately you want to rescue your friends. But, have patience. The Mutants are far stronger now than they were before."  
"Their weapons don't frighten me!"  
"I know that, but to charge headlong into their new forces is suicide. How can you rescue the other ThunderCats, if you are dead?"  
"You're... right, Jaga." That still didn't make it any easier to take.  
"Don't lose heart, Lion-O. You will find a way. Listen to the others, and regroup."  
"We need a plan," Lion-O said. "We'll regroup at the Tower of Omens. We have to find a way around the new Mutant army."  
"I have a feeling Mumm-Ra is behind all this," Pumyra spat. "We'll have to deal with his interference too."  
"Not anytime soon, we won't."  
"What are you talking about, Tygra?"  
"Short version," Panthro began, "Those legends about Guyver are true. And he doesn't like Mumm-Ra one bit. Not that I blame him, mind. The kid's sacked out in the ThunderTank now."  
"Kid?" Bengali asked.  
"Panthro and Tygra can explain everything when we get to the Tower of Omens," Lion-O said. "We need a plan, and we need one fast."  
Lion-O took another look at the ruined Cat's Lair before departing for the ThunderTank. Fury burned brightly within him, rage that strained against bonds that barely contained it. The Mutants would pay for this. Oh, yes. They would pay dearly.

-

"Damn."  
Agito emerged from the cave in which he had rested the night before, suddenly worried. He had not expected Sho to need the Guyver so soon, nor had he expected Mumm-Ra to stage such an assault. That ancient bandage freak was far more clever than Agito had guessed. But, at least that battle would keep him out of action for a while.  
The ThunderCats would need Sho's help, and Sho would likely give it. Guyver One was far too kind for his own good. He would discover more of the power he had at his disposal, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. Agito could feel his chance slipping away. How could he find the twelve Zoacrystals - the organic jewels which had been the sign of the ancient Zoalords - without the knowledge still locked in Sho's amnesiac mind? Worse, what if Mumm-Ra learned of them, and managed to find even one?  
"Another war has begun," Agito said as he breathed deep the clean air of Third Earth. "And this could likely be the last this world sees. One way or the other."

-


	8. Counterattack

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Eight

-

The sun began its slow trek below the horizon as it had for millenia beyond counting. The sky grew from brilliant blue to a blazing gold as shadows lengthened on the hard packed floor of one of Third Earth's many desert regions. The remaining rays of sunlight glinted off the burnished steel of the Cat's Eye poised atop the Tower of Omens.  
Lion-O glared at the screen which displayed, in visual output, the signals received from the Braille Board. None of it was good.  
"The Treetop Kingdom is totally destroyed," Lynx-O said, more to fill the ominous silence than to inform. "I am picking up survivors grouping four miles south, near the Plains of Fertility."  
"How many?" Panthro asked.  
"More are arriving by the hour. As of now, thirty."  
"Out of hundreds," Tygra cursed.  
The image on the screen shifted to the Berbil Village.  
"The Berbils, fortunately, fared well. Few of their numbers were lost, though their village is completely wrecked."  
"How did we miss these new ships?" Lion-O asked.  
"I do not know. However, it is plain that their intent had been to divide our forces and leave an open path to Cat's Lair."  
"We might as well have rolled out a red carpet," Bengali snapped.  
"I find it hard to believe," Lion-O said with a shake of his head, "that one human boy is why Mumm-Ra orchestrated this whole attack."  
"He cannot be the entire reason," Lynx-O replied. "The attack was directed at us and our allies. It was not a sweeping search."  
"Which could mean that Mumm-Ra knew where he was, and decided to kill two birds with one stone."  
"I agree with Tygra," Pumyra spoke up. "He wanted to wipe us all out and capture that boy at the same time."  
"We can worry about Mumm-Ra's schemes later," Lion-O snapped. "Right now, four of our own are prisoners of the Mutants. We need a plan, now."  
"According to what the Braille Board is telling me," Lynx-O began as the map of the known territories of Third Earth zoomed in on Castle Plun-Darr, "The Mutants have now four starships, along with hundreds of Skycutters. Their Nosediver brigade, from what Panthro and Tygra have told us, seems to have been nearly decimated. They still posess a rather large number of those, unfortunately. It is also confirmed that the Mutants have at least one Warbot in their posession as well."  
"Looks like most of their forces are concentrated in the Desert of Sinking Sands," Pumyra added as the data streamed below that particular point.  
"Yes, however I am detecting troop movements toward Castle Plun-Darr even as we speak."  
"Then, if we're to have any chance, we have to move tonight."  
"It appears so, Lion-O."  
"How are our weapons looking?"  
"The ThunderTank took one hell of a beating," Panthro replied, "but she's still got plenty of fight in her."  
"The HoverCat is out of commission," Tygra said next. "It still needs to be towed here for repairs."  
"The ThunderStrike is good to go," Bengali added.  
"The ThunderClaw is pretty banged up," Panthro said fourth. "I don't think it'll take the stress of a rescue mission. That leaves us two vehicles against..."  
"An entire army," Lynx-O finished.  
"We don't have a choice. We have to rescue the others."  
"There is one more option, Lion-O," Tygra said. "Sho."  
"What?"  
"Tygra's right," Panthro said. "From what I've seen, that kid's loaded for bear. We could use his help."  
Lion-O considered for a moment. All this began with myths concerning Guyver. Could he really trust Sho? There was no time to think about it.  
"Very well. I'll wake him. In the meantime, make any repairs you can. Lynx-O and Tygra will analyze what we know of Castle Plun-Darr and the Mutant army. We don't have any time to lose, so light a fire under it, ThunderCats. Once I speak with Sho, I will confer with Lynx-O and Tygra."  
"HO!"

-

The room was simple in design and decor. A small desk rested against the wall across from where he lay on the single bed, next to a modest closet. There were no decorations on the plain white walls, the setting sun through the window providing the only source of real color. Whomever slept here obviously wasn't much on frills.  
Sho winced at the small pains that twinged in his back as he sat up. He couldn't remember ever being so exhausted. What had he...  
Oh. Yeah.  
The battle, the fight with that Mumm-Ra creature. What had it meant when it said that all this had been to capture him? Why did that statement bring only anger and resignation? Why not fear? Why did it seem so familiar to him?  
"You're finally awake!" screeched a voice from the right. Sho, startled, swiveled his head and nearly fell backward onto the floor. The tiny creature stood barely a foot and a half tall, covered in red fur with yellow streaks. It almost seemed like a strange form of housecat.  
"GAH!"  
"Did I scare you?"  
"W...what... who are you?"  
"You act like ya never seen a Snarf before!"  
"Well, if you must know, I haven't." At least, Sho thought, I don't think I have.  
"Well, the name's Snarfer! You must be Sho!"  
"That's right." It didn't seem dangerous, at least. "Snarfer, huh?"  
"That's me! Yep, sure is!"  
"Well, then, Snarfer," he asked the annoyingly cheerful creature, "Where am I?"  
"You're in the Tower of Omens!" it chirped. "I heard about how you tangled with Mumm-Ra! Really gave him what for! Yep!" The small creature balanced itself on its tail, forepaws balled into fists and pounding the air.  
"Riiiight..." What was WITH this Snarfer? "So, um, what's a Tower of Omens?"  
"Perhaps I can answer that," a male voice said from the doorway. Sho looked up at him and gasped. He was easily three times Sho's size, covered with powerful muscle that stretched the too-small blue tunic he wore. At his hip was what looked like a lion's paw, from which the hilt of a dagger protruded. Firery red hair hung about his head like a mane, the bangs framing cat-like eyes. "This is where we ThunderCats are staying at present."  
"Lion-O!" Snarfer said. "I didn't hear ya come in!"  
"Could you excuse us, Snarfer?"  
"Sure thing! Yep! Will do!"  
"He's certainly cheerful," Sho said as Lion-O fully entered the room, the door sliding closed behind him.  
"He is, at that. So, your name's Sho?"  
"Yes."  
"I'm Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats."  
"I'm honored," Sho said with a bow of his head and shoulders.  
"Listen, Sho, I'll be upfront with you," the lion-esque man said. "I require your help."  
"My... help?"  
"You've already met two of the other ThunderCats, in the Berbil Village."  
"They were the ones fighting those jackal guys, weren't they?"  
"Panthro and Tygra," Lion-O replied. "Yes, they were."  
"Oh." Sho rested his chin on his knees, more confused and frightened than ever. "That mummy said it was after me. That all of this was because of me. But, why attack those Berbils? They seemed harmless to me."  
"The Berbils," Lion-O began with a heavy, weary sigh, "weren't the only ones to suffer assault."  
"Huh?"  
"The Treetop Kingdom was also attacked."  
"Oh, no..." Sho's heart turned to ice in mid-beat. The Warrior Maidens... Willa... "Are they okay?!"  
"Our Lair was also..."  
"Is Willa okay!?" Sho nearly screamed.  
"I won't lie to you, Sho. I don't know."  
"No..."

Lion-O saw the pain, the guilt etched on Sho's face. Did he really believe Mumm-Ra? Did he honestly think that this was all his fault?  
"Willa told me," Sho began, "that you live in a place called Cat's Lair."  
"It was destroyed, too," Lion-O answered. He ignored the rage that brought up. He needed to be calm. "Four of our own friends were captured."  
"All of this to capture me..."  
"Sho..."  
"No. It was about Guyver. About that weird armor." Sho's voice grew hard, venomous. "Why? Why did that Mumm-Ra kill so many to try to get it?!"  
"Don't you know?"  
"No, Lion-O, I don't! I don't remember anything! I don't know what this Guyver thing is, how I got it, nothing!"  
"Listen to me," Lion-O said. He squatted down beside the bed, his face level with the nearly hysterical boy's. "We can help you recover at least some of your memories."  
"You... can?" Sho asked, hopeful.  
"We know of a scholar that has researched... well... who may know something about you."

Sho thought about that, let Lion-O's statement roll around in his brain. There was so much he didn't understand. He looked over at the man-lion, saw the emotions in those cat-like eyes, and knew that Lion-O was telling the truth. He could help...  
(You must come to me,) the voice said. (I can help you.)  
Maybe. But, the Warrior Maidens... Willa... the Berbils... these ThunderCats... they have all suffered from this attack. An attack that was meant to catch him...  
(Come to me...)  
"You said that some of your ThunderCats had been kidnapped by these Mutants?" The ones that reminded him of those vague figures he had called Zoanoids...  
"Yes. Cheetara, WilyKit, WilyKat, and Snarf Osbert."  
Innocent people had been killed, captured, because of him. Because one depraved creature wanted the armor. Wanted the Guyver.  
Wasn't it his responsibility, then, to help set things right? To do as much as he could?  
(You mustn't waste time like this!) that voice replied. Sho was coming to dislike it. (Far more important things are at stake!)  
"I'll help you. I don't know all of what I can do, please believe that, but I will do what I can."  
Lion-O nodded in reply, and with a grin said, "That's all I ask of you. Follow me to the control chamber."

-

"I don't believe it," Slythe growled as Jackalman stood across from him and Primor in the main control chamber of Castle Plun-Darr. The jackal's right arm was held in a sling at his stomach, a thick bandage around his vacant head. "It just isn't possible!"  
"I tell you, Slythe, I saw it!" Jackalman protested. "Mumm-Ra is dead! He was killed by something that looked a lot like that Guyver he showed us!"  
"Are you sure you're not just making this up?" Primor sneered. He had no idea what this Guyver thing was, or much about Mumm-Ra, but none of what the Scavenger was saying added up. "It must be embarrassing. Two ThunderCats stomped a Plun-Darr mudhole in your ass and walked it dry, and you had nearly a hundred Nosedivers."  
"Shove it, you filthy ape!" Jackalman screamed. "I know what I saw!"  
"You... DARE... to talk to me that way! You worthless piece of..."  
"ENOUGH!" Slythe roared. The jackal and the monkey fell silent, both staring at the reptile."I have heard the others this incompetent fool led to the Berbil village, and they say the same thing. All from your crew, if I recall correctly, Primor."  
"Really." The ape's nostrils flared at the verbal barb, yet held his tongue. Slythe made a note not to underestimate the Primate captain. He seemed a good deal smarter than other monkeys Slythe had met.  
"So..." Slythe paused, thinking. This could be his chance. "Mumm-Ra is badly wounded, yess?"  
"That weird Guyver blasted a hole in his chest you could throw a Snarf through."  
"If so," Primor ventured, "Then he is indeed dead. No living creature could survive such a wound."  
"That'sss the problem," Slythe replied. "Mumm-Ra iss NOT a living creature."  
"Ah, yes. You told me he was undead."  
"I do not think thiss killed him." We should be so lucky, Slythe thought. "However, we will have no better chance to be rid of him once and for all, yess?"  
"Ahhh..." Jackalman said as the realization hit him. "We can take him out now, and not have to worry about him getting rid of us once we've done his dirty work!"  
"This makes no sense at all," Primor grunted. "I don't give a flying fuck through a rolling donut about this Mumm-Ra. We have four ThunderCats in the dungeon. Why are we not torturing them?"  
"I agree with him," Jackalman said. "Why don't we just put those damned cats through some pain, and THEN worry about Mumm-Ra? After the beatdown he just took, I think that undead mummy will keep for a night."

-

Four pairs of hateful red eyes glowed in the blackness deeper than the darkest pits on Third Earth. They were all that passed as signs of life in the silent, still tomb that was home to Mumm-Ra. The mage himself slept, his body far too ravaged to be stirred from its death-like slumber.  
The eyes each looked at one another.  
He had to rest. There was no way, even if they woke him now, that he would have enough power to do what must be done. Mumm-Ra wouldn't even survive being awakened for at least two weeks. The damage to his undead body had been that extensive. There was only one recourse.  
The eyes faded, and the tomb chamber was in total blackness again.  
It was time the overambitious Slythe learned who the TRUE masters of Third Earth were, and what their wrath could be.

-

"What the hell?" Primor shouted. He stood before the doors which stubbornly refused to open, his face confused. He pried at them for a brief moment before yanking his hands away with a startled curse.  
"What iss it?"  
"The doors... They're hot!"  
"What...?" Jackalman cringed - something he did very well - and looked about. "I have a bad feeling about this..."  
"You snivelling coward!" Slythe shouted. "You're scared of your own damn shadow! This is jusst a malfunction, yess!"  
"Mutants..." The voice seemed to come from everywhere, the air suddenly cold.  
"What was that?" Primor asked as Jackalman searched in vain for someplace to hide.  
Slythe couldn't answer, couldn't even speak as four spots on the metal floor began to bubble and warp. Jackalman and Primor heard the screech of disfigured steel and saw the growing blisters on the floor swell and reach up to the ceiling. None of the three could move as the tortured flooring screamed and twisted into four beast-man statues whose hideous heads touched the rough stone ceiling.  
Slythe and Jackalman knew what they were. They had seen them numerous times in Mumm-Ra's tomb, had heard him call upon them time and again.  
"WHAT IS THIS?!" Primor hollered as the eyes in each unholy statue glowed.  
"Slythe," that hateful voice echoed.  
"T... the statuesss... Mumm-Ra livesss!"  
"He's sent them after us!" Jackalman cried as he cowered at the corner of an instrument panel. "We're done for!"  
"We know of what you plan," the voice from the disfigured statues said. "You think you can eliminate Mumm-Ra? You miserable misanthropes DARE to believe that YOU are the supreme source of evil?"  
"We had no intention of..."  
"SILENCE, REPTILE!" they boomed. Slythe clutched his hands to his ears, moaning in pain. "We know of what you intend to do! You believe that you can replace us as the lords of Third Earth?"  
Them? Slythe thought. Wasn't Mumm-Ra...?  
"Of coursse not, your..."  
"DO NOT SPEAK UNLESS WE COMMAND YOU TO!" Their voice hammered into Slythe's brain, threatening to rupture his very soul. "It is OUR power which rules Third Earth. It is OUR power Mumm-Ra calls upon! And, it is our power that will destroy you if you dare to disobey us!"  
"I... Undersstand..."  
"We are pleased that you do," they rumbled. "We are your masters. Do not forget that."  
"W... we won't!" Jackalman cringed.  
"You have imprisoned four ThunderCats," the statues said. "You intend to torture them, then use them as bait for the damnable cats which remain free."  
Silence.  
"Well?!"  
"We... do..." Slythe replied at length.  
"Though we would love to see them in unbearable agony, there is no time for such things. They are to die."  
"We intend to execute them all, once..."  
"WE DID NOT COMMAND YOU TO SPEAK!"  
Slythe remained silent, shaken to the very core of his being. How could Mumm-Ra command such terrifying power? Unless... No. Don't think. Not now.  
"You are to kill them before the rising of the sun!" the Ancient Spirits of Evil said. "Do you understand?"  
"Yesss!"  
"Be warned, Mutants," their voice rumbled, "that the price for your failure shall be hellfire eternal!" With that, the eyes faded from the faces of the statues. The metal that had been twisted into their bodies bubbled and warped once more, sinking into the floor as the ancient ones left the control chamber.  
"What..." Primor began... "in the universe were they?"  
"We have to do it!" Jackalman shrieked, more from fear for his own worthless ass than desire to get rid of the ThunderCats. "We have to kill them!"  
"And we will," Slythe replied. "But, have we not waited too long for this chance?"  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
"Ssimple, Primor," Slythe said, fighitng to keep his voice steady. "Those... things... want our ThunderCat prisoners dead by ssunrisse."  
"I figured that part out for myself!" Primor replied hotly.  
"They didn't ssay that we couldn't be creative about it, yess?"

===========================================

Sho chose not to think about the total insanity he had experienced since waking in the Treetop Kingdom nearly three weeks ago. Standing among these ThunderCats, going over scenarios for rescuing their comrades from an enemy he had only known for a few hours, agreeing to aid them... it was completely crazy.  
Yet, at the same time, all too familiar.  
He could feel the tension in the air, stretched taut through the spacious control center of this Tower of Omens. Sho hated to think what would happen if any of those strained lines were to snap.  
"A full-on assault would never work," the one called Lynx-O said as they all stared at the map on the large viewscreen. "Our only chance is to sneak in."  
"It's safe to assume," Tygra added, "that the Mutants will be looking for us to try something like that."  
"Perhaps," the blind ThunderCat replied, "But our approach will not be something they expect."  
"How so?" Lion-O asked.  
"We know how their search radar works," Panthro said, taking over the briefing. "We can fly above it, but there's the problem of getting down to the castle itself. That's where Sho comes in."  
"From what Panthro has told us," Bengali said, ice-blue eyes staring directly into his own. Sho felt everyone's eyes on him, expectant. "You are capable of flight."  
"Yeah, I am. I got it. If we come in over their radar, I can get below."  
"Right," Panthro said. "You're not big enough to set off their radar, even in your armored form."  
"So... what do I do from there? I don't think I can make myself invisible."  
"No," Tygra replied with a slight grin, "But I can make *myself* invisible."  
"Really?"  
"Really."  
"Sho," Lion-O began, "first you are to get Tygra down to the roof of Castle Plun-Darr. From there, he can sneak in and find our friends."  
"No problem. What next?" Sho was beginning to feel positive about the whole thing.  
"Once Tygra finds the other ThunderCats," Pumyra said, "he'll need a distraction to get them out."  
"This, Sho," Lynx-O explained as the viewscreen showed the image of what had to have been a giant gargoyle - wings spread - converted to a fortress, "is castle Plun-Darr."  
"Looks cozy," he deadpanned.  
"In the head is their control center. Once Tygra finds our friends, you are to go in and... how shall I phrase this..."  
"Smash the living hell out of it?"  
"Well said," the lynx replied with a wide grin.  
"Panthro and I will be in the ThunderTank," Lion-O said, "while Pumyra, Bengali, and Lynx-O man the ThunderStrike. We'll keep the outer guards busy."  
"Once I'm done in their control room," Sho said, "I'll go looking for Tygra. Four people's a lot to escort out. I'll cover them from inside."  
"I was just about to say that," Lion-O replied. "But, be careful."  
"I know how these Mutants fight," Sho said, suddenly determined to get the mission underway. "I can handle them. And believe me, I will."

-

*CRACK!*  
Cheetara gritted her teeth as the length of barbed leather whistled through the air and left a trail of fire across her back. She had lost count of how many times the whip had bitten deep in her skin. Her back was alight with burning pain; she felt the trickles of blood that ran down the back of her shredded leotard to drip onto the filthy stone floor.  
*CRACK!*  
Another, this time on her legs, and a scream nearly escaped her clenched lips. The iron shackles bit into her wrists - suspended from the ceiling - and tiny rivulets of blood seeped down her bound arms. She refused to cry out, as much for the kids who were witnessing this as for her own pride. She would not give the Mutants the satisfaction of...  
*CRACK!*  
"Ssso, one isn't enough for you?" Slythe said from behind as the whip struck her on the rump. "I think we can arrange for two, yess?"  
"You... will... never hear me... scream..." Every inch of her backside hurt, the movement of air alone agony.  
"Much as I'm enjoying this," Jackalman said as he picked up another wicked-looking whip and walked in front of her, "we really should get rid of them soon." Cheetara noticed the bandages that adorned his scrawny frame and took a small measure of satisfaction. Someone had to have worked him over.  
"We will," Slythe promised. "But for now, jusst enjoy the moment, yess!"

-

Tygra's muscles tensed as the ThunderStrike neared Castle Plun-Darr, thousands of feet above the surface of Third Earth and above the Mutant's search radar. He could hear the engines whine in protest as they passed through a stray cloud. The vehicle wasn't meant for such altitudes, nor was it meant to carry so much weight. He and Bengali shared a pod, while Pumyra and Sho occupied the opposite.  
This had to work. It was crazy, ill thought out, and possibly suicidal, but it still had to work. There was no other way.  
There was no communication, not even within the ThunderStrike. There could be no chance of the Mutants getting any kind of warning.  
Tygra waited, not even speaking to Bengali, waited for the other tiger to tell him it was time.

-

Lion-O resisted the urge to look through the Eye of Thundera to see how the imprisoned ThunderCats were faring. He already knew. He sat tense across from Panthro, every nerve tight, every second seeming to last a year. This plan was insane, but all they had. If it didn't work, then the ThunderCats were dead. Pure and simple.  
It would work, he told himself. It had to.  
"We're gonna pull this off," Panthro said, as if reading his thoughts.  
"We will," Lion-O agreed. "Or we'll die trying."  
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."  
"Amen."

-

Cheetara wanted to scream, to give voice to the torturous agony which she endured. Seconds stretched into hours and minutes into years as Jackalman's whip struck home just under her breasts. She felt a rib crack, the white-hot bolt of agony racing to her brain. Blood oozed from over a hundred wounds, her wrists and ankles shackled and immobile. Her vision grew hazy, sounds coming as if through the depths of the ocean. All she wanted was to shut her mind down, to escape this horrible torment somehow...  
But, deep beneath that, a terrible anger burned bright. A fierce will to survive kept her from fading away, though her body was far too weak to fight. The Mutants had done their jobs well with those whips.  
"So, still won't cry out, eh?" Jackalman said in his sniveling voice. She vaguely heard WilyKat cry out in rage, couldn't make out his words.  
What Slythe said, however, lanced the cloud of agony which enveloped her brain.  
"So, if our whips on your lovely body won't do, then perhaps this whelp will suffice!"

-

Sho felt the ThunderStrike ease to a stop just as the translucent canopy slid noiselessly open. He didn't feel the cool air of the night as he threw himself into space. Castle Plun-Darr was a tiny speck on the darkened ground below, drawing his attention for a brief moment before he locked onto Tygra's position. Dark as it was, Sho found he could see as well as if it were day.  
He focused on the gravity controller, halting his flight enough to catch the falling ThunderCat. He heard the ThunderStrike sail clear of the drop zone just as his arms wrapped about Tygra's midsection.  
"So far so good," the Thunderian whispered. "We want to aim for the precipice just above the castle's main chamber."  
"Got it," Sho replied as he commanded the orb to lower them. The sensation was strange, as if he were only allowing gravity enough power over him to drag him gently back to earth and could revoke that privilege at a whim. What else could this Guyver thing do?

-

"So, he's actually going through with it," Agito said as he huddled near the small campfire, his cloak wrapped about his weathered frame for additional warmth. "Idiot."  
He didn't fear for Sho's life. On the contrary, he almost felt sorry for those Mutants. Sho was bound to discover more of the Guyver's abilities before the night was out, and none of them meant anything good for the aliens from Plun-Darr, the would-be conquerors of Third Earth.  
What worried Agito was what would happen once Sho regained his memory of what he had. From there, the memories of the Fall of Second Earth couldn't be far behind. Hibernating for over two thousand years could have addled his memories...  
Or...  
"Hmph. It's happened before." Agito smiled. Sho had likely hidden the knowledge from himself, out of a fit of guilt. If nothing else, Guyver One also had one hell of a conscience. Being partly responsible for the death of the world he was trying to save would likely lay on a guilt trip of epic proportions.  
But, Agito knew he was working on borrowed time. Mumm-Ra wouldn't be out of the picture forever. He had to get to Sho before then. He had to make sure Sho visited the Village of Scholars, visited Duncan. The book would at least get Sho to trust him, and from there...  
"Heh heh..."

-

The flight had been gentle enough, as had the landing. The two Reptillian guards that had been posted had been easily dealt with as well. Despite himself, Tygra recalled the time when he had been held prisoner in the dark walls of Castle Plun-Darr. Strapped to the Four Winds, coming within an inch of death, feeling the catapults tightening with each increase of the light...  
He forced those memories to the back of his mind as he slunk through the twisting halls, focused on getting down to the dungeon levels. The other ThunderCats were counting on him.  
The hallways were choked with foul-smelling Mutants, mostly Simians and Scavengers. Reptillians were definitely in the minority, and no Avians - to which the late Vultureman had belonged - were around. Though invisible, Tygra still felt vulnerable surrounded by so many enemies. He kept his breathing soft, his steps light as he dodged around loafing guards and ignored the sounds of drunken revelry.  
Party while you still can, Mutants, Tygra thought. It's about to come crashing down on your heads.

-

Sho looked down at the top of Castle Plun-Darr's main control center, residing in the head of the giant gargoyle. He lay on his stomach, not wanting to cast any kind of shadow in the moonlight. He couldn't see the ThunderTank in the forest which surrounded the otherwise barren foundation of the fortress nor could he find any trace of the ThunderStrike. On the grounds far below, he spotted several apes and jackals walking around, laughing.  
C'mon, Tygra, he thought nervously while eyeing the wrist communicator Panthro had given him. Give me the signal. Deep within, in a place Sho didn't even know he had, he wanted to dive in there and bust heads. The fact that these Mutants dredged up the faint images of monsters he couldn't quite identify, coupled with what they had done in the service of Mumm-Ra, made the thought of opening up a can of whoop-ass seem better all the time.

-

He slowed as Slythe's hissing voice echoed into the torch-lit hallway. No guards were present, no one outside the door to the dungeon.  
"Pretty brave for a ThunderBrat," an unfamiliar voice said. "We'll try to make this as painful as we can."  
Tygra's stomach clenched at the sight of WilyKat chained, Slythe and two cronies standing ready with cruel-looking whips. He activated the signal from the comm-circuit in his whip before charging in.

-

"Hit it!" Lion-O roared as Panthro keyed the ThunderTank and the massive engine screamed to life. The rear treads threw dirt into the air as they gained purchase and sent the near-indestructible machine rocketing forward. It was time for the Mutants to learn what payback was all about!

-

Lynx-O dropped the ThunderStrike toward the ground, weapons already locking on to available targets as they came within range. Despite his calm nature, he felt a rush of excitement at the coming battle.  
"All weapons ready," Bengali's rough voice said.  
"Same here," Pumyra added.  
"Remember, we are to fire on ground targets only until their Skycutters appear."  
"We know!" Bengali snapped. "We'll separate then!"  
"Then, let us proceed."

-

"Go time!" Sho shouted when the wrist-comm began to flash. A quick leap propelled him into the air, and Sho allowed gravity (the fact of which was still a novel thing) pull him downward toward the bulbous red eye. The ThunderStrike's engines became audible as his feet shattered the glass surface of the castle's right eye.  
The shock of the impact - though he had fallen from nearly seventy feet up - was absorbed by his armored legs. The scattered group of lizards and monkeys each stared in open-mouthed shock as Sho rose to his full height, mouths wide in stunned surprise.  
Sho wasted no time, firing the laser on his forehead into the chest of a lizard-like Mutant, felling it in one blast before turning the weapon on the others. Each short burst scorched through a body, sending the Mutants in the control room down one by one in rapid succession.  
"Now for these computers," he said as he fired on the banks of instruments that administrated and monitored the interior of the castle. Each unit exploded in a glorious manner as the emerald beam melted their insides, filling the small chamber with noxious smoke and flame.

-

"What was that?" Primor grunted just before the door to the dungeon exploded inward. The Simian captain managed to avert his face a milisecond before the shrapnel would have rendered him blind, tiny daggers of splintered wood instead embedding themselves into his left arm and back just as a blue bolo whip lashed out and struck Slythe true across his pale belly. The Reptillian fell backward with a howl as Primor's vision cleared enough for him to see the form of a ThunderCat standing in the ruined doorway.

"Let. Him. Go." Tygra bit off each word as he readied his whip again. "NOW!"  
"Tygra!" WilyKat shouted, his chains rattling as he struggled.  
"I knew help was comin' snarf snarf!"  
The fiery rage that had burned so hot in his blood changed on the sight of Cheetara's battered form on the filthy floor of the dungeon. The flames receeded, leaving behind a cold murderous need in its wake. ThunderCat or not, he would draw blood for this.  
"One ThunderCat?" Slythe mocked as he regained his feet. "Trusst me, I will enjoy ssending you to your death!"  
"Who said I was alone here?" Tygra replied  
"Nyeh heh haaa... even if the other cats are here, don't think they can help you! Even now, guards are coming this way!"  
"That doesn't matter, Dog."  
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" Jackalman screamed, his own whip at the ready.

WilyKat watched as Tygra faced down the three Mutants. The elder ThunderCat wouldn't have any problem with Slythe, Jackalman, and that unknown monkey, but what about the others in the castle? How would he get us all out?  
He felt the noise before he heard it, the subtle vibration in the titanium links that bound him. Had that been there before?  
0p0The answer to that question, and to the matter of how they would all escape, became apparent less than a minute later.

-

The blood coated the carapace of his armor, splattered on the walls of Castle Plun-Darr along with the remains of the Mutants who had met their deaths at his blades. The two swords shimmered on his arms, each swing having cleaved their bodies as easily as slicing bread.  
He stood alone amid the scattered corpses in the narrow hallway, the rest of the guards who had challenged him having run for their lives. And reinforcements. Sho ignored the distant feelings that stirred in the back of his mind, in that locked-away place. This wasn't the time for reverie. He had to get to Tygra before the ThunderCat became overwhelmed by Mutants looking for a far easier target.  
The dungeon should be right below me, if I remember those blueprints right, Sho thought. Taking the stairs isn't going to work.  
He focused his thoughts on the gravity controller, on the weapon he had used against Mumm-Ra. The power built at his waist, flowing up to his hands...  
What if it's too strong?  
The power died instantly. What if that pressure cannon just went through the dungeon? Just how powerful was it? What if he killed the people he was trying to help save?  
"Okay," Sho said, "time for a new plan." Could he just punch through the floors? How thick were they? How could he...  
Sho froze as the control medal began to glow, and the armor's thoughts became his own. He saw his own armored face, the twin metal orbs over his mouth. What was it trying to tell him?  
After a moment, he understood. A sonic buster. That might work...

-

WilyKit shook her head at the sound. She heard her brother's shackles rattling from the ceiling, the clanking growing louder by the second before a dull thud sounded from overhead.  
"What was that?" the monkey called Primor grunted. WilyKat's chains rattled louder, her own and Snarf's joining the dischordant symphony as another - louder - thud was heard.  
"Sounds like something collapsing," Jackalman replied.  
*THUD*  
The noise became louder still, reverberating, mounting pressure on her eardrums. She could feel the floor start to vibrate slightly as the clanking of chains grew in intensity. What in the world...  
*THUD!*  
"It'sss right over uss!" Slythe cried in alarm, clutching the flaps of flesh at his head. WilyKit clapped her hands to her ears - a gestrue that proved totally useless - as the cracks rapidly formed in the roof of the dungeon.  
"What's going on?" she screamed as the top of the prison gave way with a mighty cracking sound. Dust from the pulverized stone rained down on the gathered Mutants and ThunderCats as a shadow landed heavily amid the debris. WilyKit tried to stand, yet the chain linking her wrists to her ankles only allowed an awkward crouch, and stared openly at the strange visitor.  
He was easily the tallest... man?... she had ever seen. He stood partially shrouded in the cloud of dust that was all that remained of the ceiling. Flickering lights fell through the hole above him, and the hole above that one, and the hole above that one...  
"Shneeeeyaarf..." Snarf moaned, "this can't be good!"  
"Oh, no!" Jackalman cried as the shadowed figure stepped into a patch of clearer air.  
"Sorry I'm late, Tygra," it said.  
"Better late than never, Guyver," Tygra replied with a nod. "Shall we?"  
"Um..." Snarf said from WilyKit's right, "did Tygra just call him 'Guyver'?"  
"I think so," she answered, "but how does he know Tygra?" What in the world was going on?

-

"HO!" Another torrent of energy lanced from the blade of the Sword of Omens, knocking a Nosediver off-course and into the foul moat which surrounded the Mutants' stronghold. Explosions in the sky flashed their light on the rocky ground as the three parts of the ThunderStrike took care of the Skycutters above.  
"Tygra's taking too long!" Panthro shouted as he whipped the ThunderTank about. "If he and Sho don't come out of there soon, we're gonna end up dusted!"  
"We'll hold out as long as it takes!" Lion-O roared over the din of combat. "We've come too far to abandon our friends now!"  
"I hear that!"

-

Tygra let the Mutants go as they fled the room. They were unimportant next to the task at hand. He could always deal with Slythe later. For now, getting the other ThunderCats out of here was paramount.  
"I... knew you'd come," WilyKat said as Tygra ran up to him. "Where..."  
"The others are fighting outside the castle," the tiger said as he tried the kitten's chains.  
"Let me, Tygra," Sho said as he grasped the chain between WilyKat's wrists and pulled. The metal came apart with a decisive snap, with the chains on his ankles following a second later.  
Tygra, for his part, sailed his whip at the chains which bound WilyKit, snapping them easily before releasing Snarf.  
"Cheetara!" WilyKit screamed, "she's..."  
"I know," Tygra managed as he knelt down beside her. His gorge tried to rise as he beheld the savage wounds the whips had left on her body, at the blood which still seeped from them.  
"Uh oh!"  
Tygra ignored Sho. Cheetara was still breathing, but barely.  
"Tygra, we have a problem!"  
"What?" he said, looking up to see the medallions on the sides of Sho's helmet swivelling in their tracks.  
"Looks like the Mutants got their act together," Sho replied. "I'm counting about thirty heading our way fast! We're gonna be surrounded pretty soon!"  
Those things must be sensors of some kind, Tygra thought before rising to his feet. "How soon?"  
"About twenty seconds, I think."  
"Tygra..."  
"Cheetara?" Her voice was weak, laden with pain.  
"Take... the kids... Snarf... leave..."  
"Not without you!"  
"Just... Go!" she demanded, several wracking coughs following her shout.  
"Not happening," Tygra said. "We're all leaving together!" To Sho, "We'll have to fight our way out of here! Get ready!"  
"Wait," Sho said back, "we're still above ground, right?"  
"Yes..."  
"Then we'll just take the back door."  
"Back door? What back door?"  
Sho cupped his hands over the metal ball at his waist. The sphere of power formed in an instant, growing rapidly as he aimed it toward one of the walls. The orb launched with the force of a missile, slamming home into the rough stone with a mighty boom and the sound of rupturing granite. Cool air from the outside rushed in, blowing away the cloud that remained of the thick wall.  
"That back door," Sho replied as he and the kittens came over to Cheetara's prone form.  
"Come on," Tygra growled as he slung Cheetara's arm over his shoulder. He hoisted her to her feet, ignoring the cry of pain that came from the injured ThunderCat. The sounds of battle raged outside the hole Sho had blasted into the wall, the flashing glare of laser bursts and the mad glow of flickering flames across the barren surroundings of Castle Plun-Darr lending a hellish atmosphere. "Sho, I'll carry Cheetara. We're going to need some serious cover fire."  
"Leave it to me." With that, the small group of escapees charged through the hole in the wall.

-

"Lion-O! Do you copy?"  
About damn time! he nearly shouted as Panthro opened the channel. "Where are you?"  
"The eastern side of the Castle!"  
"How'd you end up there?" Panthro asked, the autocannons blasting at an approaching Nosediver and sending it up in flames.  
"Tell you later! Where are you?"  
"The northern front!" Lion-O yelled back. "Hurry!"  
"Got it! Out!"  
"Think they'll need a beacon?"  
"One signal, coming up!" Lion-O replied, hoisting the Sword of Omens skyward.  
"Thunder! Thunder! THUNDER! THUNDERCATS! HOOOO!"

-

"The control room's ruined!" Jackalman screamed.  
"What damage..." Primor added as he looked through the holes which led several floors up.  
"Thiss cannot be..." Slythe groaned. He could almost feel the weight of those demon statues on his shoulders. "They mussst not esscape!"

-

"What in the..." Sho gasped as the immense red beacon lit up the sky with a mighty roar.  
"To the source of the signal!" he heard Tygra shout. "NOW!"  
"Get moving!" Sho replied. "I'll cover you!"  
No sooner had the words left his lips than the sensors on his head snatched backward, showing him one of those Skycutter machines bearing down on their position.  
Guess I have my work cut out for me! he thought as the laser on his forehead fired off a blast that pierced the Skycutter's fuel tank, exploding it violently in midair. He focused the sensors ahead, seeing several Nosedivers darting around the now badly damaged ThunderTank. The bulk of the fighting was there.  
WilyKat had taken Cheetara's other side, bearing as much of her weight as he could while his sister carried the Snarf in her arms. Their progress with the wounded ThunderCat was slow - fatally so - and cutting a path through the ground vehicles ahead wouldn't do any good.  
"Tygra!"  
"What!"  
"Give her to me!"  
Tygra and WilyKat looked at him strangely for a moment, until the tiger nodded his head in understanding.  
"May Jaga be with you," Tygra replied as Sho eased the semi-conscious Cheetara onto his back.  
"I'll come back soon! Be careful!" With that, Sho launched himself forward as fast as his armored legs could carry him.

-

Bengali looked down as Sho rounded the east corner of the castle, Cheetara riding piggy-back as he charged toward the ThunderTank.  
"Tygra and the others are behind him," he heard Lynx-O say.  
"Why is he carrying her?"  
"Perhaps she is too injured to make it on her own," the old lynx said in his always-calm voice. "I have already contacted Lion-O and Panthro."  
"I'll head down and help with those Nosedivers!"  
"Quickly, Bengali!" Lynx-O exclaimed. "The Braille Board is showing another force of Nosedivers closing in on this position!"

-

Sho leapt clear as the pod streaked downward, blasting away two Nosedivers that had turned their attention to him. If whoever was in that thing could keep his path clear for just a few more meters...  
The ThunderTank rumbled directly for him, its armor blackend and shredded from constant attacks. The fact that it was still functional was incredible!  
"Just... a... little more..."  
His next leap carried him over the front of the tank to land hard in its rear space.  
"Cheetara!" he heard Lion-O shout. His horrified stare was locked on Cheetara's back.  
"Panthro! Straight ahead!"  
"Got it!"

-

"Thiss iss Ssslythe," the replile said into the portable radio. "All unitsss are to converge on the ThunderTank! Ignore the ThunderStrike! That iss an order!"  
He stood atop the roof of Castle Plun-Darr, glaring hatefully down at the carnage below. If he could not kill all of the ThunderCats tonight, then he would at least take most of them. That should please those demons. He hoped.

-

"Glad to see you!" Tygra hooted as the rest hopped aboard.  
"Same here!" Lion-O said as Panthro spun the tank about. "Let's get out of here!"  
"I'm into that!" Snarf shouted as WilyKit set him down in the rear of the tank.  
"Lion-O!"  
"What is it, Lynx-O?"  
"Another group of Nosedivers are closing in on you fast! We've engaged more Skycutters up here!"  
"DAMN!" Panthro cursed as the ThunderTank crossed the narrow bridge that spanned the moat. "We're in trouble!"  
"What is it?"  
"The ThunderTank's pretty quick," Panthro answered, "but she's hauling a lot of weight, and she's pretty beat up!"  
"Can we outrun those Nosedivers?"  
"Not like this!"  
"I see them!" WilyKit shouted.  
They sailed over the rocky ground just as the ThunderTank entered the path through the forest. At least ten, likely twenty, of them were bearing down like malevolent mosquitoes, each lusting to tear at their flesh.

Sho gasped as the Guyver communed with him once again, showing him another of its strange powers. The sight of it frightened him, stirring vague impressions that chilled his blood like ice. But, it could be their only chance.  
"Keep going, guys," he said as he stood. "And don't turn back!"  
"Sho, what are you doing?" Panthro demanded.  
"I don't know, but it might just save us!" Sho leapt clear of the tank, coming to rest on the soft grass as the Nosedivers screamed closer. The high-pitched whine of their engines filled his ears as he focused on the power. He felt it build, slowly at first, gathering momentum with each passing moment. He just hoped he was quick enough.

"What the heck is he doing?" WilyKit asked as the man stood down the coming Nosedivers.  
"That's what I'd like to... hey..."  
"What is it, Panthro?"  
"Tygra, I'm picking up an energy reading nearby. It's... Great Jaga, it's huge!"  
"From Sho?" Lion-O asked.  
"Apparently. Just what is he..."

-

Lynx-O shot down another Skycutter when the readings on his Braille Board went wild. Such energy! What could be generating it?

-

Slythe peered through the binoculars at the Guyver. Was that fool really going to stand down all those Nosedivers? He saw the armored man grasp the breastplates of his armor. What was he going to do, flash them?

-

They were nearly on him. Sho counted almost forty of those Nosedivers bearing down on him. His chest burned with the power, aching for release. He grasped the breastplates on his armor, snatched them open to reveal the bulbous lenses beneath. The light gathered, glowed with the brilliance of a star.  
The light burst forth, turning night into day and filling the air with a sound like the end of the world.

They could only watch, amazed, as the wide beam of pure white sizzled the air in its passing. The Nosedivers were enveloped by it, vanishing forever into its harsh glare as it screamed into the face of Castle Plun-Darr. The intense destructive power hammered the stone facade into nothingness in an instant.  
The entire spectacle lasted but for a few seconds, yet would be forever imprinted upon the minds of the ThunderCats.  
"By the moons of Thundera..." Tygra rasped. The earth itself was scorched, a smoldering trench surrounded by the blackened stumps of ancient trees. The Nosedivers were gone.  
"Vaporized," Panthro said, his dark skin ghostly white. "Completely vaporized. Not a trace left..."  
The front of Castle Plun-Darr was smashed in, the head of the gargoyle-shaped fortress retaining its shape for a moment before giving up and collapsing into so much burning rubble. The flames from within the remnants grew higher, greedily tasting the oxygen with each thundering explosion.  
"We have to be over a mile away..." WilyKat said in a small, frightened voice.  
At the foot of the destruction stood Sho, his shoulders slumped and his chest heaving for air. His legs buckled, spilling him to the ground as the armor vanished from his body to leave a human boy behind.

-

Slythe shook his head clear as the sun rose bright above the blasted plains on which Castle Plun-Darr sat. The light, that terrible light, still shone in his mind, the sight of forty Nosedivers being de-atomized burned into his memory forever.  
Such power, he thought. Such overwhelming power! Who could have known that this Guyver had such a terrifying weapon? How would he deal with this?  
"Slythe..."  
The Reptillian froze at the cold sound that seemed to come from everywhere.  
"Slythe!"  
"Oh, no! NO!"  
"You have failed..."  
"Please, Masters, forgive me! Had I but known! Had you told me..."  
"SILENCE!"  
"PLEASE!" He begged, he pleaded as the ephmeral images of the demon statues appeared in the morning light, surrounding him.  
"We told you the price for failure. Had you killed the prisoners you had taken, this could have all been avoided."  
"I BEG OF YOU! PLEASE! SPARE ME!" His begging devolved into pathetic sobs as the Ancient Ones drew nearer.  
"One simple command, and you could not follow it! How can we forgive such incompetence?"  
"Jusst one more chance! I beg of you!"  
"As we promised..."  
Slythe's throat closed, choking on his plea, as the chasm at his feet opened. Within he beheld horrors beyond imagining, twisted demons and monsters reaching upward with their clawed appendages in eager anticipation of his flesh. The reptile's skin tried to crawl off his body as the burning pit grew wider to reveal even worse things below.  
"NO!"  
"As we promised," the Ancient Spirits of Evil proclaimed, "your failure has bought you hellfire eternal! You shall burn forever, tormented by the demons of all the hells!"  
"NOOOOOOO!"

Primor watched from a distance as the unnatural flames leapt skyward. So it was done.  
Castle Plun-Darr was destroyed, yet his own forces had suffered only nominal losses. He still had more than enough to conquer Third Earth. However, there was the matter of the Guyver...  
He had never seen a weapon with such power, even on a starship. If that thing was truly allied with the ThunderCats...  
Primor walked eastward toward the Desert of Sinking Sands. That daring rescue had been a sight to behold, despite his own defeat. With a force as powerful as that Guyver on their side, the ThunderCats could try even more daring attacks against his forces. His options were limited, yet Primor did not want to relinquish the planet of Third Earth. No true Mutant would run from the prospect of total rule over an entire world...

=============================================


	9. Aftermath

Bottom of Form 2

ThunderCats  
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver  
One Last War to Fight  
Episode Nine

==============================

"OW!"  
The padded straps supported her nude body above the floor, suspended between two stainless steel racks which rested on either side. Her entire view was of the plain white tiles, her eyes unwilling to look up for the moment.  
"Sorry, Cheetara," Pumyra's voice apologized. "I guess the painkillers weren't as strong as I'd hoped."  
"It's... nothing," the cheetah managed. "They help enough."  
"Once I finish spreading the balm," the puma replied, "the pain from your injuries will fade. It's going to take some time before I can let you back on your feet, I'm afraid."  
"That's fine," Cheetara said, wincing at the touch of Pumyra's hands on her tender back. "At least we're all safe. And alive."  
"Truer words were never spoken. There, that takes care of the balm. Now for the bandages."  
"How are the kids? And Snarf?"  
"They're fine," Pumyra answered. "No whips touched any of them, thank goodness."  
Cheetara let free a sigh of relief. She was still unclear on just how they had been rescued, the only clues jagged and disjointed images of Tygra and someone else...  
"I'm afraid there's going to be some scarring," Pumyra said as the soft gauze began to wrap about her.  
Cheetara almost asked what had happened, but was growing far too tired to care.

================================

WilyKit stood at the side of Bengali's bed, on which the boy who was the Guyver slept. His skin was ghostly pale, his breathing shallow and quick. He seemed so fragile, so weak beneath the blue coverlets, as if he could slip away from this world at any second. She thought back to just the night before when, as the Guyver, he had smashed into the dungeon of Castle Plun-Darr and then in the same hour eradicated a whole platoon of Nosedivers in one blast. The dichotomy of the two images was nearly impossible to reconcile.  
How could something so powerful belong to someone who appeared so weak? She had yet to hear about how Lion-O and the others had met him, but that would be told at council later tonight. For now...  
"He doesn't look much older than me and WilyKat," she muttered. She didn't know how humans aged, but she could swear he wasn't a day over sixteen. And yet, the legends of the Guyver were thousands of years old...  
He had helped save them, of that there was no doubt. Whatever his name was, Guyver or Sho, he was a friend. As such, she had stayed by his side. There was no way she'd leave him alone when he seemed so fragile. Whatever his story was, she would know in a few hours.  
"So here you are."  
WilyKit spun to see Tygra standing in the doorway. His smile was warm, relieved.  
"I... didn't want to leave him... he..."  
"I know," the tiger said. "His vital signs are weak, but stable. There's nothing any of us can do for him right now."  
"It's just that... that the past few days have been so unreal. Like all of a sudden all the rules decided to change."  
"It does," Tygra replied softly. "But it's not the end of the ThunderCats. We're all here, and we're all still together."  
"You're right. But I can't help feeling that none of this is over. That this is somehow only the start of something big."

================================

WilyKat sat alone atop the Tower of Omens, his back to the massive disc of the Cat's Eye, drinking in the bracing chill of the arid desert as the sun gave the celestial stage to the moon. He stared up at the stars - finding the one about which Thundera had once orbited - seeking solace, some heavenly sign of forgiveness.  
Why couldn't he be stronger? Why couldn't he have stopped those Mutants from whipping Cheetara like a lowly dog? He shut his eyes, still hearing every crack of the vile whips as they...  
No. He shut those thoughts out, though with great difficulty. Even if Pumyra hadn't ordered everyone to stay clear of Cheetara until at least tomorrow, the young wildcat didn't think he'd have been able to muster the nerve to see her. He was a man - almost, anyway - and he hadn't been able to do a single thing to protect her or any of the others. What if the Mutants had gotten the chance to...  
DEFINITELY don't think about that! he commanded himself.  
"I thought I'd find you up here." WilyKat, startled, spun to see Panthro shilouetted in the pale light of the moon. "Room for one more?"  
"Sure." WilyKat slid over as Panthro eased his frame onto the stone next to him. They sat in silence for a moment or two, simply looking out over the vista of Third Earth.  
"Heck of a view, isn't it?"  
"Yeah."  
"You know," Panthro began, "I used to do this a lot back on Thundera. I'd sit on top of the Lair and just stare at the stars. It used to calm me down."  
"Uh-huh."  
"C'mon, son, what is it? Keeping it bottled up isn't going to do you any good."  
WilyKat wanted to say it, yet at the same time...  
"Is it about what happened to Cheetara?"  
"Y... Yes..."  
"Listen to me," Panthro began, his usually gruff voice soft and gentile, "there wasn't anything..."  
"That I could do?" The anger crept into his voice, hungry to lash out at anything, even if it was at himself. "I should have, Panthro! I should have been able to fight! I..."  
"No," the panther replied. "There wasn't anything you could have done."  
"If I was an adult," the words were coming out like a torrent, nearly falling over eachother in a mad rush past his lips, "If I was stronger, I could have stopped them! I could have..."  
"Kat..."  
"Look at you!" he shouted. "You've got to be the strongest of all of us! You could have mopped the floor with Slythe! You're never scared or..."  
"You're wrong, Kat." Those three words lanced the haze of anger that had coated the young boy's mind. "I was scared out of my mind."  
"What?"  
"Those hours, when we learned that the Mutants had captured all of you, right up until the second I saw all of you running toward the ThunderTank, those were the most frightening hours of my life."  
"They... were?"  
"We were all scared, Kat. Scared that we'd be too late. Scared that when we got there, they would have killed you, your sister, Cheetara, Snarf... We were far more terrified than angry."  
"But, it didn't stop you."  
"No, but I'd never felt fear like that before. And I'd never felt more relieved than when you all came out of there."  
WilyKat fell quiet, the rage giving way to confusion. If someone as mighty as Panthro, or as brave as Lion-O, could be afraid... then maybe...  
"We need you, Kat. We all need to pull together, now more than ever. We're a family, son, and if you don't have a family, then you don't have anything in this world."  
WilyKat looked back at the stars. What Panthro said made sense, but it still didn't completely quell the anger and shame.  
"Will... um... Will Cheetara..."  
"She'd love to see you, Kat."  
"Thanks, Panthro."

-

"Incredible..."  
Alluro's whispered statement summed up what all the Lunattacks thought as the image replayed for the hundredth time. The light burst forth from the armored man's chest, enveloping the Nosedivers and hammering the outer facade of Castle Plun-Darr into atoms. The image froze on the final frame, showing the plume of dust that heralded the destruction of the Mutant stronghold on Third Earth.  
"Looks like this one will be a big problem," Chilla said with a touch of anxiety in her voice.  
"And he's an ally of the ThunderCats to boot," TugMug added. "This is gonna get ugly."  
"Something must be done about this 'Guyver'," Luna added from atop Amok. "It seems that his power is rather limited, wouldn't you all say?"  
"Limited, yes," Alluro agreed. "Weak, no. The Mutants are hardly worthy adversaries for us, but he did take out quite a lot of them in one shot. No telling how many more it may have killed inside that fortress. Most battleships don't have a weapon like what we saw him use."  
"So, we have to be a tad careful in how we handle him. So what?" Luna screeched. "We can take him!"  
"Given what we just saw," Chilla said, "I think we should be more than a tad careful. Who knows what else that thing can do?"  
"HAH! My Psych Club can solve this problem in no time at all."  
"Yes..." Luna said at length. "Perhaps if he served *us* rather than those flea-bitten cats..."  
"One dose of my psychiatry," Alluro said, smacking the tip of his club into his left palm, "could solve our problems quite nicely. Someone with his physical prowess has to be very weak minded, indeed."  
"It's settled, then," Luna said. "First chance, we make Guyver our slave. Let's see the ThunderCats fight *that* thing off!"

-

"I don't know."  
"Not the best answer," Lion-O said as Bengali took his seat again.  
"I'm sorry, but we have no idea how much of the Mutant Army is left on Third Earth."  
"Four ships landed," Lynx-O said. "And there were enough to destroy Cat's Lair. Though we rescued our comrades, we cannot assume that the Mutants have suffered losses sufficient enough to make them no longer a threat."  
"I see. Pumyra, how are our supplies?"  
"From what information I have," the puma replied, "our pipelines of Thundrillium are undamaged. As for our food, we have enough for six months, and that's at half-meals."  
"Without the Berbils," Tygra added, "our food supplies will become scarce fairly soon. The Warrior Maidens provided most of the herbs we used as remedies..."  
"You don't have to finish that." Low on both medicine and food. The situation was very grim, indeed. "How about our equipment?" Lion-O asked.  
"Well, the ThunderTank's out of action until I can get her fixed," Panthro answered. "The ThunderStrike took some serious hits, too."  
"The ThunderClaw?"  
"I can get her airborne again in a few days, tops. The HoverCat needs a total overhaul."  
"What about the Feliner?" WilyKat asked.  
"Far as I know, she isn't damaged. Just gotta fish her out of what's left of Cat's Lair. Thing is, most of my tools and parts, except what I've got here, are buried in Cat's Lair. Can't do much in the way of repairs without them."  
"How about our enemies?"  
"As we all know," Tygra said, "Mumm-Ra was badly injured in the main attack. I don't know how long it will be before he becomes a major factor again, but we can bet it will be soon."  
"The Mutants," Lynx-O added," Still have four warships at their disposal, as well as numerous Skycutters. I do not know how many Nosedivers are left to them, but I do know that at least one Warbot is in their possession as well."  
"The Lunataks?"  
"Far as we know," Panthro said, "those moon freaks have been real quiet. They've gotta know what's up, though, and they'll likely take this chance to get rid of us for good."  
Lion-O remained silent as the information was processed. One stronghold gone, food and medicine at critical levels, and surrounded by powerful enemies. Hardly the best tactical situation, even with the Eye of Thundera at his side.  
"I think that the first thing we should do is check on the Berbils and Warrior Maidens," Lion-O said. "They've suffered as much, if not more, than we have."  
"I understand that," Tygra replied, "but our more immediate concern is our own vulnerability. I recommend we get in contact with the Tuskas at once. We'll need their firepower as an added line of defense while we rebuild our own forces."  
"Tygra's right," Lion-O said. "First we need to contact the Tuskas. With their help, we may be able to better protect this part of Third Earth."  
"What about the Wollos?" WilyKit asked. "And the Bolkins?"  
"Yeah, we can't just forget about them," her brother added.  
"With any luck, the Tuskas can help with safeguarding the nearby settlements," Lion-O said, facing the two kids. "Snow Knight may also be able to lend some aid. From there, I suggest we focus on retrieving the tools necessary for repairing our damaged vehicles. Once we're back up to full strength, we can begin going after the Mutants and the Lunataks."  
"It's not gonna be easy, Lion-O."  
"I know that, Panthro. These are dark times, ThunderCats. Very dark times. But, we can't surrender. We need each other, and we need to have faith. WilyKit,"  
"Yeah?" the girl piped up.  
"Tomorrow, I want you and Bengali to check on the Berbils and Warrior Maidens. WilyKat will help Pumyra tend to Cheetara's wounds. Panthro, make what repairs to our vehicles that you can. Tygra, you and Lynx-O will try to develop a plan for clearing away the rubble of Cat's Lair."  
"I take it," the Lynx said, "you will be going to the Tuska camps tomorrow?"  
"Yes, at first light. The sooner we get some help, the better."

Council adjourned for the night, no mention of the Guyver having been uttered. There were more pressing matters.

-

Day broke over the luxurious foliage that encompassed the White Pyramid. The mirror of Mumm-Ra's tomb, set in a paradise of life by the enemies of Mumm-Ra's masters, stood pristine in defiance to the Black Pyramid's horrid darkness. A slight breeze caressed the thick carpet of grass and set the boughs of the ancient-growth forests to whispering. From the four Spires which surrounded the pyramid crackled brilliant shafts of life-giving energies.  
Deep within, the life they helped sustain rose from her timeless slumber. Mumm-Rana, vanguard of all that was pure and sacred on Third Earth, rose from her ornate golden sarcohpagus. The Ancient Spirits of Life rarely had cause to awaken her, the fact that she was now indeed among the living world once more a cause of great concern.  
In the space of the past two years, her ancient nemesis had been more active than he had been in millinea, yet she had still slept. Against the Eye of Thundera and the ThunderCats who stood behind it, his foul magic had been thwarted time and again. She, herself, had only crossed paths with the noble beings from Thundera once. The fact that they had held off an evil far older than Third Earth for so long was impressive in and of itself. As such, she had slept peacefully.  
"Why have I been awakened?" she asked the four immense statues whose power animated her undead frame and granted her the powers of holy magic.  
They remained silent, for such was their way. Mumm-Rana hadn't expected an answer, yet she had to ask anyway. The ageless priestess trod across the stone floor of her tomb to the scrying pool. What images from its depths would...  
"By the Great Creator..." she gasped. From within the calm depths of mystic liquid was an image of Cat's Lair laid to waste. The ThunderCats had been destroyed? How...  
Another image came, this showing the burning ruins of the village of the Berbils. The gentle cybernetic aliens had never harmed a living being on this world, yet their home was in flames...  
The image blurred, shifting to the Treetop Kingdom which burned like a vision of Hell itself. The Warrior Maidens were also gone? Trees that, when Mumm-Rana had been known as Cleos after the former empress Cleopatra, had been little more than young saplings were engulfed in flame.  
"Ancinet Ones!" she pleaded to the stone liknesses of the benign spirits of wisom and good which she devoutly served, "tell me! Is this true?!"  
They remained silent, and she peered closer into the water.  
Within its depths was a hideous fortress of evil. Stronghold to aliens of a less benevolent nature, it rested atop dead ground surrounded by a vile moat of tainted water. It was the castle of the Mutants of Plun-Darr, she recalled. Had they been the architechts of this devastation?  
Mumm-Rana saw the ThunderCats escaping, hounded by a swarm of war machines. From the badly damaged vehicle leapt a lone man in alien armor. The breastplates were pried apart, and a savage light enveloped those who would have murdered the ThunderCats.  
"He is... familiar..." Mumm-Rana said softly.  
The scene changed again to the burning home of the Berbils, where that same man fought against her hated enemy, Mumm-Ra. The priestess watched with rapt attention as, with the help of two ThunderCats, he dealt a mortal wound to the ancient demon.  
"This man is powerful. Who is he? What has happened?" These images were so disjointed, so jagged. Whatever had happened, the unknown man in armor was at the center.  
"The peoples we have shown you," the voices of the Ancient Ones spoke, "still live, but are weakened. They face a tide of great evil, far worse than any we timeless ones have yet seen."  
"The man in armor, he seems familiar to me. I know I have seen him before."  
"You have, O good and faithful servant."  
"Who is he? My memory cannot clearly recall him."  
"Look into the pool again," they said, "and see the world as it was two thousand years ago. See Second Earth, a place long since dead..."  
Towers of stone and steel and glass reached to up to Heaven, great cities of humanity that sprawled across the surface of the world. This was the Age of Man, then? The world where humanity had reached its pinnacle?  
The image changed, and all that had been was laid to waste. She saw him again, facing down a demon that gave even Mumm-Rana a touch of fear. The image vanished again, lost in the mists of time.  
"What have you shown me?" she asked, though the answer was coming to her with certain horrible slowness as if her mind did not wish to comprehend it.  
"We cannot show all," the spirits said, "for we also slept during that time. However, you witnessed the Fall of Second Earth."  
"The Great Fall..." she gasped. "Then, the man I saw obliterate the Mutants was..."  
"The Guyver."  
"No..." Mumm-Rana backed away from the scrying pool. It was true, then. The Prophecy was... "He has awakened?"  
"Just weeks ago."  
"Then why wait to awaken me?" Mumm-Rana demanded.  
"The Prophecy is unclear," the replied.  
"Unclear? UNCLEAR! You know what this means as well as I! Third Earth is doomed to die!"  
"We do not know that with absolute..."  
"Have you not read what the prophets wrote so long ago?! 'When the Destroyer awakens, Third Earth with be bathed in fire and blood, and will fall into ash for eternity!' How can you be uncertain?"  
"Those words," the Ancient Ones began, "were written by men. The race of Man knows little of the machinations of the Universe."  
"What is this? You have never spoken in such obscure riddles before!"  
"We regret that we must do so now," the Ancient Ones replied. "But, there is no other way. The words of the Prophecy were penned by men, whose language can never adequately express the will of fate, of creation."  
"I know the nature of prophecy," Mumm-Rana said, turning to each statue in turn. "Even the simplest prophecies can have several meanings, depending on the view of those who behold it. But, how can this prophecy mean anything less than the end of life as this world knows it?!"  
"Does that mean that all life shall be forever extinguished?"  
"Third Earth will die. I know the Prophecy inside and out. It was also written that, upon his return, the Destroyer would be weak. A shadow of his former self."  
"So, what shall you do, Mumm-Rana?"  
"The choice is clear. He must be stopped before he regains his full power."  
"Are you certain this is wise?"  
"What?" Mumm-Rana could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Have you all gone mad?! If Guyver regains his full might, then nothing will be able to stop him! If he is dealt with now, then the Prophecy will be averted!"  
The Ancient Ones fell silent. Mumm-Rana glared at each statue in turn, inwardly furious. Why? Why would they act in such an unusual manner? Could they be afraid?  
"If you feel this to be the best approach," they replied at length...  
"I thank you..."  
"But," they added, "we must caution you. Do not underestimate the Guyver."  
"I don't intend to."  
"Nor must you overestimate your own knowledge of the situation. There are many factors at work that we do not yet know of."  
"Are you saying that I should just sit about and do nothing?"  
"We are saying that too much is unknown to us."  
"Where is The Destroyer now?"  
"He rests," the replied as the waters of the pool showed the image of the Tower of Omens, "in the Thunderians' last remaining stronghold."  
"They may not know of the Prophecy."  
"They know it not."  
"I must warn them at once!"  
"The Guyver does not know it, himself."  
"What?"  
"We are aware that his memory has failed him. He knows not who he is, knows not the full powers at his disposal."  
"I must act!"  
"Not now. For you to attack him in the Thunderians' only stronghold would weaken them further. Would you make them suffer for the sake of a prophecy?"  
"Are you suggesting I should wait for him to just walk out?!"  
"We are not suggesting it. We are demanding it."  
"What is this? O Ancient Ones, you have never given such a command before!"  
"True. However, you must wait. Moving against the Guyver now would do far more harm than good. Once he leaves their company, then you may act."  
"By then, he may regain even more of his power! Waiting could prove disastrous! If his evil..."  
"We understand your concerns," they said, "but you must wait! Now is not the time! We shall awaken you when the time comes."  
"Yes... you are correct, Masters." Mumm-Rana reigned in her righteous fury as she made her way back to the sarcophagus. They had never betrayed her, never lied to her. Granted, they didn't always reveal everything, but they acted in the best interests of the Light.  
Mumm-Rana just wished they wouldn't be so damned mysterious about it.

-

"I'm not certain about this," Bengali said, eyeing the Spaceboard curiously. The sun had just barely risen above the skyline, the hard earth tinged with fiery red.  
"Oh, come on," WilyKit said from atop her own board. "It's easy! Just climb on and lean forward a little. That'll get you moving!"  
"I still say we should take the ThunderStrike," the tiger groused as he mounted the floating device. "At least one of the pods."  
"Wish you could," Lion-O said as he readied one of the kitten's spare boards. "But we need all the firepower we can get here, and the ThunderStrike is all we have available for now. Looks like you're gonna learn how to surf." the Lord of the ThunderCats leapt aboard, easily balancing himself and watching Bengali with undisguised amusement.  
"Okay..." the bengal muttered. His knees rested on the smooth surface which hovered a mere four feet from the desert floor. From there, he rose unsteadily to his feet. "Okay... I think I got it..."  
"Good going!" WilyKit hooted. Lion-O, for his part, stood easily atop the floating anti-gravity device which was disguised as an ancient surfboard and tried to keep from laughing. Despite the uncanny agility possessed by ThunderCats, the white tiger looked to be having a hell of a time keeping his balance. "Now, lean forward a little, like this."  
Bengali watched as the young kitten sent the board ahead, effortlessly staying atop it while the device sailed on a field of null-gravity. Well, he thought, if she can do it then so can I. He leaned forward slightly...  
And the Spaceboard took off like a rocket.  
With a startled cry, Bengali fell from the Spaceboard to land smartly on his behind.  
"Go ahead, laugh it up!" he growled as he regained his feet. Lion-O was nearly doubled over - still securely atop his board, Bengali noticed with some irritation - howling with mirth. WilyKit descended, laughing as well.  
"Are you okay?" she asked.  
"Nothing hurt but my pride." This was going to be a LONG trip.

-

"Ma-Mutt..."  
The ancient demon hound raised his ghastly head at the voices of Them, the ones his master served. They had never spoken to him before. The hellhound stepped nervously toward the cauldron, the only source of light in the lifeless chamber.  
"We require your magics..."  
Ma-Mutt knew what they wanted. The magical power within him was ingrained from his creation in the Hellforge, things he could do without thinking.  
"Mumm-Ra will awaken soon, but he will be weak," The Ancient Spirits of Evil said into the empty confines of the tomb. "The way must be prepared in order for us to crush the light once and for all. Listen closely..."  
Ma-Mutt heard and, once They were finished, he obeyed.

-

"Still an hour from the Tuska Camps," Lion-O muttered as the Spaceboard glided above the clay surface of the desert. While far faster than walking, the device wasn't meant for high speeds. Panthro had designed them for the kittens, after all, and giving them floating rockets would have been a sure recipe for disaster. Still, it was a pleasant mode of travel.  
He took a moment to look out over the barren vista. Much of Third Earth - the parts the ThunderCats had explored, at least - was covered in desert. There were patches of lush greenery here and there, but for the most part it was uninhabitable. Lion-O thought back to the stories he'd heard of the Great Fall. Two thousand years, and much of the planet was still devastated.  
Life finds a way, he told himself. Lately, that lesson had become all the more personal. Maybe in another thousand years or so, Third Earth would be completely covered in greenery again. He wouldn't live to see it, but future generations of ThunderCats would.  
But first, the Mutant Army had to be dealt with. That sobering thought brought the weight of reality back squarely on his shoulders. If they didn't overcome this trial, then there would *be* no future generations of ThunderCats. Lion-O's face darkened as he steered the gliding machine over the hard-packed ground. There were a total of ten Thunderians on Third Earth. He didn't have to do the math to know that re-building their race here would be a monstrous task. There had to be others out in the universe somewhere, but how to get them here? How to...  
"WHOA!" He jerked the board left to avoid the jagged boulder he hadn't noticed until the last second. Close. *Way* too close.  
The camp was only forty minutes away, he estimated. Best not lose focus now.

-

Though he didn't know it at the time, and wouldn't have cared to anyway, Bengali was having far different thoughts about Spaceboards and their use as transportation.  
?How do you kids ride these things?! he growled at WilyKit?s back.  
?Oh, quit your griping,? she chided. The kitten brought her board around in a casual motion and faced the albino tiger. ?It beats walking, doesn?t it?  
?That depends on your opinion,? Bengali groused as he balanced himself on the floating machine. ThunderCats were supposed to have incredible balance and agility! What the hell was the problem?  
?Look on the bright side,? she said with a grin, ?you?ve gotten a lot better.?  
?Indeed?  
?Yeah! You can ride standing up instead of sitting on the board. That?s something.?  
?The Berbil Village isn?t far, is it?  
?Another few minutes. After that is the?  
?You don?t have to finish that. Let?s go.?

-

Pain. That was the first thing Sho was aware of on waking. He opened his eyes, disregarding every instinct that told him not to, and beheld the same room he had awoken in before. Bengali normally slept here, he remembered. Where was he?  
Sho organized his thoughts as best he was able. He closed his eyes and reopened them in an effort to bring what he saw into clearer focus. God, he couldn?t remember being so tired. Even that time when?  
?Damn?  
The strange Mutant machines bearing down on him, the terrible light from his chest, the?  
?Megasmasher.? He whispered that word, fought down the terrible feelings it brought up. How did he have such an amazing weapon? He had ensured everyone?s escape - the proof being that he was back in this bedroom now - but why did the memory of that cause such fear, such dread?  
How long have I been out? He asked himself as if expecting an answer. Using that Megasmasher had drained him completely. He had nearly passed out while still wearing the armor (and why did that thought scare him even worse?) and had barely deactivated it before collapsing. He knew that laying in this bed would get him no answers, and so he rose.  
?Owwww? the twinge in his back nearly sat him back on the mattress. He breathed deeply for a few moments before rising to his full height and stumbling toward the door. Best to work out the kinks and find out what this new day had in store.

-

?I?ll be right back, WilyKat.?  
Pumyra had said that ten minutes ago. The young cat looked over at Cheetara's battered form and couldn't help but feel the shame return. If only he could have...  
"How are you feeling?" He knew damn good and well how she was feeling, but small talk was better than chasing himself in circles.  
"Rather good, considering," Cheetara replied. Her voice had a somewhat dreamy tone to it, doubtless from the painkillers.  
"I'm glad to hear it," he said around the lump that had made his throat a home. His eyes wandered over the bandages wrapped about the cheetah's suspended body and found himself imagining the marks beneath them, how...  
"Let me ask you something," Cheetara said, startling him out of his dark thoughts. "I remember someone crashing through the roof of the dungeon. Who was that?"  
"Oh! Him, his name's Sho." WilyKat replied, relieved. "He's also the Guyver."  
"The legends were true, then?"  
"Sure were, Cheetara." WilyKat averted his eyes, studying a diagram of Thunderian anatomy on the wall with interest. He waited, hoping she would ask who Sho was, how they met him, how they got back, anything but how he felt. It had to be said, he needed to have this talk, but it was just so hard. The words seemed too large to pass through his mouth, dread at what was inevitable settling in his stomach like a lead weight.  
It was Cheetara who made the first move.  
"It wasn't your fault."  
WilyKat stood there, frozen. The dread blossomed into full-on fear.  
No, he thought. I have to be a man, now. I can't run away.  
"Cheetara, I..."  
"I'm sorry you had to see what Slythe was doing to me," she went on, "sorry that we found ourselves in there to begin with. But, what's done is done. You're not to blame."  
"Ch... Cheetara..." he replied while hot tears burned down his face and sniffles were evolving to sobs. "I... I'm the one... who should be sorry!"  
"Do you know what the most horrible moment of my life was?"  
WilyKat couldn't speak, his chest hitching every other second.  
"When I saw them place you where I had been."  
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the fading sobs of the young Thunderian boy. After what felt like hours, he slowly turned to see her. She stared directly at him, her eyes glimmering with tears that wanted to be shed. But, what most drew him was the look in those slitted orbs.  
Forgiveness. No, not forgiveness, but love. Why did that hurt? Why did love make him feel so miserable, more than seeing anger in Cheetara's eyes ever could? When did the world decide to stop making any damn sense?!  
"When I saw them chaining you there, readying the whips," she said, "I was horrified. But, also, I was furious."  
WilyKat's sobs began to die.  
"I felt rage at the Mutants for daring to do this to you, and at myself."  
"You did?"  
"I was far too weak to stop them. I couldn't focus any power to save you. My body refused to obey, no matter how much I demanded it to." The tears began to fall, and WilyKat stared in amazement. "I know what you're going through, because I felt it myself. I felt so impotent, so powerless, while they were about to whip you like they did me."  
Cheetara tried to control the tears as they fell. They were safe, now, and that was the most important thing. But, here and now, she needed to share this pain with WilyKat. He had to know that he was not alone in his feelings.  
He stood rooted in place, staring at her, crying as she was. They had been through that hell together, and Cheetara knew that he came out far more scarred than she. She'd only been beaten. He - like his sister - had his innocence cruelly stolen. She didn't know how WilyKit was faring, but she did know what WilyKat was going through.  
He stepped forward hesitantly. Cheetara moved her arms forward, stretching them outward. They needed to share this pain. He knelt before her, and the two embraced. She didn't mind the pressure of his arms against one of her wounds, merely held him as tightly as she could.  
"It's okay," she said before planting a delicate kiss on the young boy's - no, man's - cheek. No other words were spoken, there was no need. They merely held onto each other, their tears soaking each other's shoulders.  
And so they began to finally - to truly - heal.

-

"Hmmm..." Tygra muttered at the viewscreen. He felt his anger rise as he beheld the image of Cat's Lair lying in ruin. It had taken months to build, weeks of meticulous planning and sleepless nights. Thank goodness the Berbils had been so willing to help - and that they followed instructions so exactly - or Cat's Lair would never have existed at all on Third Earth.  
Finding the compex network of caves that had been hewn out of the stone had been a miracle. Those caves - once properly formed and supported - had become the hallways of the Lair. The entire process had been painstakingly slow, and also extremely dangerous, but they had gotten it done.  
Theoretically, it was possible to build another, but the task would be daunting to say the least. The Berbils were in no condition to help them this time, and who knew how much of the Thunderian technology could be salvaged from the remains of the old Lair? Even Panthro's skills had limits, and a lot of what they had gleaned from their original ship had to be bootlegged in order to function in their new home. Then they would have to somehow excavate the power system as well. It was deep beneath the Lair, so it should have suffered minimal damage...  
"I'm getting ahead of myself," Tygra said as he consulted his original schematics. Rebuilding the Lair wasn't the problem, but removing the weapons and parts inside the hangars was.  
"Who... oh, finally up, are we?" Tygra asked when the doors opened and Sho stepped inside. The kid looked like he'd been dragged through a hedge backwards, hair toussled and face drawn.  
"How long has it been?"  
"About thrity hours, give or take."  
"Ouch. Sorry."  
"No problem, Sho," Tygra replied as he walked over. "Feeling okay?"  
"For the most part, yeah."  
"Good. There should be some leftovers from breakfast in the kitchen. I'm certain Snarf wouldn't mind warming some up."  
"Thanks. I'll head down there in a minute. Say, what's that?" Sho asked, pointing at the screen.  
"That is what's left of Cat's Lair."  
"Oh."  
"I'm trying to determine how I can salvage our equipment from there."  
"That's a lot of rubble to move," Sho said lamely.  
"The rubble itself isn't so much the problem," Tygra said as if teaching a cub, "but it could be if the structural integrity of the hangars..."  
"Those paw-like things?"  
"Very good, Sho. Yes, if the materials that comprise them has been weakened, then the entire structures could come crashing down."  
"So, blasting your way isn't an option, then."  
"No, I would say not."  
"These are blueprints, right?" Sho asked, pointing to the diagrams on Tygra's right.  
"Yes, and I'm rather proud of them."  
"You're an architect?" Sho asked with a touch of wonder.  
"Indeed. I also have limited knowledge of medicine."  
"A doctor and an architect," Sho said, "you must do a lot around here."  
"Yes, but Pumyra has far more experience in medicine than I do. She was a certified healer back on Thundera."  
"Your home planet?"  
"That's right."  
"Why did you guys leave?"  
"Our planet was about to break apart."  
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry."  
"No need to apologize."  
"So, you need a way to get your stuff out of that Lair, huh?"  
"Yes."  
"Can I help?"  
"I don't know," Tygra replied at length. "I'll keep your offer in mind, though."  
"Okay. Well," Sho said as he turned, "I think I'll get some breakfast. See you later."  
"Bye."  
As Sho left, Tygra considered his offer. His powers were awfully destructive, but...  
No. The outer layer of the hangars was pure Tritanium. His weapons might be able to blast through, but would probably make the whole thing collapse. No, Sho's powers were too strong. Still, Tygra did appreciate the offer.

Sho couldn't deny it, he felt stronger with every step. As his strength grew, so did his appetite. Whatever leftovers were in the kitchen, he felt he could eat every bite. He didn't know why, but he felt good despite the Guyver having drained him so much. Maybe it was the thrity hours of sleep, or maybe he was regaining his strength.  
Just how powerful am I? he asked himself. I know I can... hey...  
An idea occurred to him as he trod the hallway. He had to help the ThunderCats, it was - by proxy - his responsibility. But how? What did he have that would...  
"HEY!"  
"OH! Oh, jeez, I'm sorry, Snarfer!"  
"Snarfer?"  
Sho looked down at the creature, and noticed that it seemed older. The satchel he'd seen Snarfer wear was also missing. Was this...  
"Snarf Osbert?"  
"Shneeyarf, that's me," the small being replied, "but DON'T call me Osbert! Just Snarf, okay?"  
"Just Snarf, I got it."  
"Good! You must be Sho." Snarf looked up at him with more than a touch of anxiety.  
"That's me."  
"So... uh... Thanks for your help the other night."  
"No problem." Snarf was afraid of him, Sho could see it. Best to warm up his own breakfast and stay away from the elder... whatever Snarf was. "I'll just pop off for a bite to eat, and see if I can make myself useful around here."  
"Good idea. The kitchen's one floor down, can't miss it."  
"Thanks." Sho walked away feeling quite awkward. He shelved that feeling as he neared the stairwell. His stomach was growling fit to roar any second. Food first, then he would consider how to retrieve the ThunderCat's equipment from the Lair.

-

"By all that's holy..." Bengali muttered in disbelief at what remained of the Treetop Kingdom. The Berbil Village had been bad enough, but this... this was beyond all imagining.  
The great forest was now a blackened, smoking ruin; the acrid stench permeating every inch of the air he breathed. How many had died there? Did he even want to know?  
"How could they..." he heard WilyKit whisper. "How could they do something like this?"  
"THUNDERCATS!"  
As one, WilyKit and Bengali altered course toward the young boy that had called to them. Bengali recalled hearing that most Warrior Maidens gave birth to females. A boy like him must be rare, indeed.  
"Greetings," Bengali said as they came up alongside. The boy was slight, couldn't be more than eleven. Wavy blonde hair framed a shy face and cornflower blue eyes.  
"I'm Kora," he said in greeting.  
"I am Bengali, and this is WilyKit."  
"This way," Kora said without preamble. "Old Analee is waiting."

Bengali counted seventy-four people, all that had survived from a group of far more. He tried to ignore the cries from the injured as he and WilyKit followed Kora through the disorganized throng. These brave people had been reduced to nothing in the space of a day, and for what?  
For the armor that boy, Sho, possessed. For the Guyver. Whatever the hell it was, Bengali found himself coming to loathe it. True, it had been instrumental in saving four imprisoned ThunderCats, and ensuring that the rest weren't wiped out the process, but still this violence - this pure evil - would never have happened if not for him.  
Stop it, he told himself. How could one human be responsible for all this?  
How could he not be? It was the power he possessed that was the catalyst, right?  
Right?!

"Welcome," the scratchy voice said as the two Thunderians came to the center of the makeshift village. "Kora, you may leave, now."  
She was easily the oldest human Bengali had ever seen. Her snow-white hair was tangled and matted, skin pale and frame bent. So, this was Analee. Three others - far younger and in the same blue robes as her - darted about barking orders and trying to heal the survivors. Something about the whole scene gave Bengali a bad feeling about what this latest report would bring.  
"I am Bengali."  
"I'm WilyKit."  
"Please, come with me."

The sun had begun to set, the sky having shifted from deep blue to flaming red as the three stood atop a grassy hill merely a hundred meters from the encampent of the Warrior Maidens. Stars scattered about the heavens looked down upon the three, and upon the chaos of the encampent behind them. Bengali looked up at those stars and wondered if, indeed, there was some grand force out there that guided lives of mortals.  
He stared back at the fires of the camp, and wondered if there was truly some higher purpose such tragedy could serve.  
"Thank you for coming, ThunderCats," Analee said. Her voice carried such intense weariness, yet the undercurrent of strength was unmistakeable.  
"How could we not come at a time like this?" WilyKit answered.  
"How are your fellows fairing?"  
"Well enough." Bengali didn't go into detail. Doubtless in the past two days this old woman had dealt with more than the ThunderCats had. At least all his friends were alive. "And you?"  
"I must be strong, outwardly at least," Analee repled. "Inwardly, though, I am certain that this may well be the end for us Warrior Maidens." WilyKit gasped in horror.  
"Analee, don't say that!" The young girl placed her hand on the old woman's shoulder. "You can't just give up!"  
"What you saw," the healer began, "is only the surface of the problem."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Bengali, Willa is dead."  
The words hit him like a punch in the stomach. WilyKit, for her part, raised a hand to her face in shock.  
"Nayda, who would have taken her place, has died as well."  
"My condolences," he replied lamely. What could he say that could even begin to encompass such horrors?  
"There is no one left to reign over the Warrior Maidens. I will do what I can, but I do not know how much longer we can cling to life. Our ancient home is gone, now, and too few of us remain to rebuild elsewhere."  
"If there's anything we can do..."  
"Thank you, young man, but this may be our destiny."  
WilyKit only stared in open-mouthed horror, tears streaming freely from her golden eyes.  
"There is no need for tears, girl," Analee said gently. "One cannot change fate."  
"No..."  
"WilyKit?"  
"No... No, I won't believe it! I won't!"  
"KIT!" Bengali shouted as she spun and ran into the night. "Analee, I..."  
"I know, young man. Go to her. Leave the Warrior Maidens to me."  
"The ThunderCats will always be there for you."  
"I know, and I thank you. Go."  
Analee watched as Bengali raced after the weeping girl. Analee had seen her quite a few times in the Treetop Kingdom. She seemed to admire Willa and Nayda. The news had to have been devastating for the child.  
I am sorry, young WilyKit, she thought. I recall how you and Nayda would gossip, how you would help Willa braid her hair. I know all of this, and I know how much they loved you, how much you loved them. I only hope you find a man you can truly love on this world.  
With that, Analee turned back toward what remained of the Warrior Maidens. Willa, Nayda, they were the closest things to sisters the Thunderian girl had on Third Earth, aside from the two Thunderian women. Another tragedy this latest battle had wrought. At least, Analee thought, those damnable Mutants had suffered as well.  
She thought back to the old legends. Guyver was alive and well, and back among the world of mortals.  
I know little of the ancient writings, Analee mused as she trod back toward camp, but this must be an omen for all Third Earth.  
If it truly is darkest just before the dawn, Analee thought, then the true darkness has yet to begin.

WilyKit charged blindly forward, uncaring where her feet led her through the thick dew-drenched sea of wild grasses. The night had grown cold to match the icy horror within while hot tears burned down her face in stark contrast.  
Willa...  
Nayda...  
Both so full of life when she had last seen them, both free and healthy and...  
"NO!"  
She refused to accept what Analee had told her. No, no way were they... She couldn't bring herself to think it.  
("I wish I was a grownup.")  
("Why is that?")  
("People would take me seriously. They wouldn't treat me like a kid.")  
(WilyKit, if you want to be treated as an adult, you must act like one.")  
("I know. But... that's not all... I want to be beautiful, as well. Like you, Willa.")  
("Who says you aren't?")  
("... no one...")  
("Don't rush things, Kit. You'll grow up soon enough. And I know that you'll become a beautiful woman.")  
WilyKit felt no pain when she tripped and spilled to the damp ground, only the deep agony spiking at that memory. Just a year ago. One year since she'd talked with Willa about that. She couldn't talk to Cheetara, Pumyra and her two friends hadn't been found then, and...  
It began to sink in. Willa and Nayda were... were...  
"Dead..." The release of that word unleashed a torrent of anguish that had been inside since seeing Cheetara being beaten. Wailing sobs burst from her throat just as she felt a pair of strong arms cradle her shoulders.  
"Let it out, Kit," she barely heard Bengali say. "Just let it all out."

Bengali knelt there, holding the weeping girl. She had latched onto him like a drowning man to a life preserver, her cries muffled into his chest. No words were said. The white tiger merely let her vent, his left hand stroking her red and black hair. She must have been very close to those two. What could he say? Nothing.  
Guyver... All this because of the Guyver. Because of Sho. If he needed any more proof, it was soaking his clothes with tears right now.

-

It was late when he walked in. Pumyra sat upright as Bengali entered the room they had shared since Sho's arrival - they had no thoughts of changing this current arrangement, either - and immediately noticed the drained look on his face.  
"Bengali?"  
"I just finished my report on the Berbils and Warrior Maidens," he replied, sitting heavily on the bed.  
"Oh." The sound of his voice told her that the news had been very, very bad. She rose up behind him and pressed her bare breasts into his back as her arms encircled him.  
"The Berbils had finished burying their dead," he went on. "Their village was a complete disaster. The HoverCat is still there, too."  
Pumyra remained silent, merely squeezing him tighter.  
"But the Warriror Maidens..."  
Pumyra listened as Bengali told her what Analee had said, and how WilyKit had reacted at the news of Willa and Nayda's deaths.  
"Poor girl," she said once she was certain she wouldn't cry, herself. "I'll talk to her in the morning."  
"I need to have a talk with someone tomorrow as well."  
"Who?"  
"Sho."  
"Why?"  
"Just so he knows what he's done. I want to see him react to the..."  
"Bengali, stop that!"  
"It's..."  
"Look, I know you're angry, furious, even. But, Sho isn't at fault!"  
"All of this started with him!"  
"Did he attack the Berbils? Did he attack the Warrior Maidens? Did he attack Cat's Lair? As I recall, he defended the Berbils, he helped save our friends, AND did serious damage to the Mutant Army!"

"Let's get some sleep," Pumyra said. "Tomorrow, we'll talk, just you and me."  
"I can't sleep," Bengali said. "My mind won't shut up..." his words vanished as her mouth closed over his. After what felt like forever, their lips parted, and...  
Oh... he knew that look...  
"Let's just take our minds off all this. Just for a while."  
His eyes traced down her modest breasts, past her stomach to the edge of the sheets, and Bengali was surprised at his reaction. After today, this should be the last thing on his mind! But, on looking into Pumyra's achingly beautiful eyes, he knew that he needed this. He needed such intimate, such life-affirming contact after seeing so much death.  
By the moons of Thundera, he thought as their lips joined again, I love you, Pumyra...

-


	10. MummRana's Offensive

ThunderCats Bio-Booster Armmor Guyver One Last War to Fight Episode Ten

Strategy.

It was something uncommon in the Simian clans of Plun-Darr. Some made passing attempts at it, true, but few ever truly grasped that a fight was more than mere pressing of flesh and whomever had the most won. Those who did had made impressive names for themselves.  
Primor was one of them. Indeed, among the most notorious of his line. Brute force had its uses, yes, but fear was ever more effective for defeating enemies. It also made dealing with his underlings easier. They all feared him and envied his power yet none would try to take it. Some had tried, and Primor had not hesitated to make examples of them. If there was one fact that had to remain clear, it was that obedience brought riches.  
But leadership brought more.  
As captain of this Mutant fleet, that one fact needed strict, and therefore, brutal demonstrations. Speeches, promises, oaths, for a Mutant, none spoke as eloquently as a harsh voice and a good whip.  
Primor sast alone in his bedchambers with a glass of sparkling water before him. Like most Simians, he could pound serious kirgash with the best of them yet high octane booze made for poor planning. From what he had seen over the past two days, superior planning was something he would desperately need. After all, one did not gain command of such an armada by being a damned fool.  
"Guyver..." He let the word roll on his hideous tongue. Such a *powerful* weapon! Platoons of Nosedivers, dozens of Skycutters, and a battalion of Mutants lost to that fucking freak in just under two days. A weapon such as that, when paired with the Eye of Thundera, made for some damn stiff opposition. How to deal with such a threat to his forces? Divide and conquer - a strategy that had proven itself over a generation of battlefields - might not work in sugh a scenario. Primor took a sip of water as he recalled Guyver's fatal final attack on Castle Plun-Darr. If that assclown could cause that much carnage with just one weapon, just how much damage could it cause the rest of his garrison?  
To fucking THINK, he raged silently, that one damned BOY could cause ME to re-evaluate my own forces! Son of a BITCH! That thought, however, was not made in malice. Primor loved a good challenge.  
So long as it was one he could win.  
So, he thought, how do I win this one?  
Against him: The ThunderCats, the Guyver, and the Eye of Thundera.  
For him: Over fifteen hundred Mutant warriors, loads of Skycutters and Nosedivers, two Warbots, and four starships.  
Depends: Mumm-Ra and whatever the hell he could conjure up.  
Primor, even under pain of torture, would never admit it, but he was completely stumped. No matter which way he turned, he stood a damn good chance of ending up screwed.  
Oh, and let's not forget the Lunataks...  
Yes, let's not. Primor nearly called for a kirgash. He knew which ones had ended up on this hellpit, thanks to the archives, and those particular jackholes were among the worst of their foul breed. They hadn't staked a claim in the battle yet, but they would soon enough. Them, or Guyver first? Which would be the easiest?  
None.  
Damnit.  
Those fucktards will try to get Guyver on their side, by hook or by crook Primor thought. Get to him first? Yes, that was best, but by past experience, he would disassemble anyone - Mutant, Lunatak, or anyone he remotely disliked - before any could get close!  
And who knew when that bastard Mumm-Ra would wake up again?  
"Borrowed time," Primor muttered as the buzzer at his door sounded.  
"COME!" he roared as the door slid open and Laheela entered.  
Oh, yes, Primor thought, Laheela.  
He watched Laheela as, nude, she walked silently from his door to the "play area" as he had come to calll it. She was Thunderian, a female orange Tyger, and completeley suvbservient. Such went for very high prices on the black market. Obedient Thunderian meat was rather popular among collectors, and a mercenary neeeded every high price he could get.  
Even so, Laheela was... special.  
Laheela walked to the center of his quarters and raised her arms. The shackles came down from the ceiling and, obediently, she placed her wrists in them. He would, of course, have to shackle her ankles, but such was insignificant. Primor studied her every curve, identifying which scars on her shapely body he had put there. The black hair, an unusual feature in Tygers, hung down to her waist. It had been washed just before, he noticed, and he studied its sheen in detail. Yes, she had properly prepared herself.  
Blank eyes, resigned movements, Primor thought as he doffed his loincloth, you're broken. If I didn't enjoy you so much, I would have sold you.  
Time for some strenuous thinking...

Ma-Mutt knew this place. Wicked, razor edged instruments of torture hung from the scum-crusted walls, each coated with dried blood and sundry other ichors from the countless things they had dismembered. A tremor of fear raced through the hellhound as he padded along the stone slabs of the floor to the waiting furnace.  
The Hellforge sat in the center of this dark and ancient place. On a dias of human skeletal remains it sat, festooned with blasphemous arcane symbols that glowed and pulsed a deep red. Like a heartbeat, the hateful red glare brightened and faded in time to his own.  
Ma-Mutt whimpered, yet continued on because THEY commanded. THEY who had made him, THEY who had bid him serve his Master, willed that he return. The black iron door of the Hellforge opened at his approach, hinges grating with the sound of a thousand screams, the flames within holding the heat of a thousand damned souls.  
Ma-Mutt had been prepared for the pain, yet an agonized howl still escaped his jowls as the fires tasted of his flesh, and the screams of the door closing behind joined with his own.

Chilla paced her chambers, muttering beneath her breath as she stomped across the frozen floorspace. Everything, from the walls to the furniture, was carved from solid ice. It was the one place in all SkyTomb where the air temperature even approached comfortable. She paused before her mirror, a shard of frozen crystal which reflected her entire form, and studied her own image.  
She was the most beautiful of the Lunataks, of that there was no doubt. Her reflection stared back, studying her hourglass figure as intensely as she studied its. Skin a shade of blue that could only be considered healthy by her own kind, full breasts which hung free of any encumbering clothing, hair of pure white...  
Damn, she thought, but I look good.  
Upon receiving her own seal of approval, Chilla left the mirror and padded gracefully back to her bed. The bone-chilling surface of ice greeted her as she lay back on the frozen slab. All day she had mulled over Luna's plan to abduct and brainwash the Guyver and, each time, she found herself liking it less and less.  
That the entire plan hinged on Alluro's Psych Club had Chilla more than a little concerned. His psionic powers depended on that pathetic stick he used for a weapon. Without it or, more precisely, the orb at its tip, his psychic powers were nothing shy of useless.  
Chilla allowed that, yes, Alluro had extensive knowledge of various psychic phenomena and manifestations but all that meant doodly-fuck without his club. To be perfectly honest, all it did was give him enough power to implant strong hypnotic suggestions. Against anyone with a strong enough will, such an ability would be rendered moot.  
And Guyver was far too powerful to take that chance with.  
Even so...  
Chilla recalled the images from his battles against the Mutants and Mumm-Ra. Such power! Such apocalyptic DEVASTATION! She was lost in her own mind, not even consciously aware of her fingers tweaking her nipples.  
To think that armor belongs to a human, she mused as she gazed to her right. Frozen into the wall, the remains of several human males and females hung in twisted poses of agony and terror. Humans were weaklings, but they did have their uses...  
All coherent thought vanished from her mind as her left hand wandered down to her sex. Death, destruction, chaos, mayhem...  
Oooooohhhh...

"Looks like Turmagar came through," Panthro said as the first Gomplins appeared over the horizon.  
"I'd say so," Lion-O replied, staring into the distant sky. He counted ten of the beasts soaring toward the Tower of Omens each, he knew, carrying troops and weapons. More were incoming, these ten being only the first wave as the Tuska warriors scrambled every resource they could spare toward the ThunderCats' aid.  
Despite himself, the Lord of the ThunderCats wondered if it would be enough. Even though no new activity from the Mutant Army had been detected, he knew it was only a matter of time before they began to conquer territory. The fact that the Cat's Eye atop the tower couldn't even see the Mutants was cause enough for worry. So far as Lynx-O could determine, they had bugged out toward the northern polar regions, well beyond the Eye's range.  
More troublesome by far was the fact that the very Eye of Thundera couldn't see them, either. Most of the surface of Third Earth had yet to be explored. Who knew what could be out there, shielding the Mutants? And Mumm-Ra? How long before he resurfaced?

It is said that evil never sleeps.  
This is not so.  
True evil does sleep, from time to time, always to awaken once more.  
A thing alive. Hungry.  
A snake poised to strike, the hapless mouse locked dead in its unblinking gaze.  
A snake known as Mumm-Ra.

The stone lid of the sarcophagus slid open with a hideous grating sound as the unnatural, malevolent life force once again animated dessicated muscle and coursed through veins that should have been nothing more than dust. With each step, joints and ligaments moved with greater and greater ease. His hateful red eyes glared about the gloom of the tomb chamber, lingering on the earthly avatars of his masters.  
Pure joy at having denied death its due once again filled his undead frame as the oath burst from his withered lips.  
"Wherever evil exists," he began, "Mumm-Ra LIVES!"  
The eyes of the statue came to life as though welcoming their eternal servant. Power crackled about the tomb and cast everything in a strangely flickering light before fading away.  
"I still live," he said as he slowly approached the scrying pool, "yet I am still weak." How much has happened? The bubbling sludge within the pool calmed at his approach and showed him.  
"Heh heh heh HAHAHA!" The sight of Cat's Lair lying in utter ruin pleased him to no end. How many were dead? Hopefully not all. At the very least, he wanted Lion-O all to himself. The image faded and reformed into another set of ruins.  
"So much for Castle Plun-Darr," Mumm-Ra quipped as he beheld the wreckage. What had happened? He watched as within the liquid the images of that night were revealed. "Troubling," he muttered as the scene ended with Guyver immolating Nosedivers and the fortress itself. "Very troubling." He remembered the intense agony of that black ball Guyver had used to blast a hole in his chest with a small shudder. That had been bad enough, just imagine what that weird chest beam thing would do to him? The reverie ended with - most disappointingly - the ThunderCats still alive. Mumm-Ra wanted to curse at the sight.

The Mutant army, he decided, had to be dealt with. If they were to be on Third Earth, then they would be under his thumb. Such firepower was too dangerous to have running loose and simply destroying Primor and his forces would be such a waste. They had already proven useful once, and would doubtless do so again. If Primor was properly obedient, Mumm-Ra would even consider tossing him a bone or two. Like having Cheetara at his mercy again? Yes, there would be a certain irony in that.  
"Ancient Masters," he addressed the heathen statues, "I need more time..."  
"We know," they replied, cutting him off. "The Mutant Army will not move from their place until you are ready."  
"Excellent," Mumm-Ra said, rubbing his dry hands together. The sound was as hissing snakes. "Ma-Mutt!"  
"He is returned to the Hellforge. We have need for him elsewhere."  
"I see." Need? For Ma-Mutt? They would tell him in time.  
"Gaze into the waters, Mumm-Ra," they commanded, "and see our task for you."  
He returned to the edge of the pool and beheld a stretch of what appeared to be a dry riverbed. Mumm-Ra knew it to be anything but.  
"The Living Ooze?" he asked, incredulous. "Masters, I fail to see how that pathetic abomination could be of use to me!"  
"We have learned much about that creature. Look again."  
Mumm-Ra obeyed. The images were fragmented, yet...  
"Oh. I see, Masters!" he said, roaring with laughter. Oh, yes! "I will go at once."

The marshlands surrounding the Ooze were a rotting, poisoned place. Trees and shrubs which should have been lush and green were instead twisted and black. A putrid, horrible odor hung in the moist air which was itself still and stagnant. Everything about this spot on Third Earth carried a sense of hopelessness and despairing death.  
Even birds don't fly over this hellhole, Mumm-Ra thought as he exited the rift. As if the feel of death rose into the sky itself. Lovely place.  
Mumm-Ra stepped carefully to the quarter-mile stretch of goo which had drained all life from this place, and had claimed more than its share of unwary animals and travellers. It bubbled and writhed like a creature from a child's nightmare, all hateful intent and gleeful evil. Mumm-Ra knew, however, just what it truly was.  
"Ooze!" he called once he reached the edge of the riverbed. "I would speak with you!"  
"Grrrrghhh... What do you want, Mumm-Ra?" A head of sorts formed from the muck, misshapen eyes staring intently at him and lopsided mouth moving in a hideous attempt at normal speech.  
"Watch your tone, Ooze," Mumm-Ra warned. "I have need of you."  
"You?" Ooze asked, suspicious. "Needing me? Bahgggghh, I have no need of you."  
"DO NOT TRIFLE WITH ME!" Mumm-Ra roared, evil magic arcing like lightning all about him. He remained there for a moment, restraining his anger. This was too important. After regaining his calm, Mumm-Ra groaned in false disappointment. "I had truly thought you were more intelligent than this, Dyme. I can see I was wrong." Mumm-Ra turned on the spot as if to leave.  
"W-WAIT!" From the tone of Ooze's panicked cry, Mumm-Ra knew he had it hooked. Time to reel it in...  
"Wait? Why should I? You clearly want no part of what I had in mind. Such a waste..."  
"TELL ME!" Ooze's voice hovered in the upper reaches of shock bordering on terror. "Tell me how you know that name!"  
"I know many things about you, Dyme," Mumm-Ra replied, finally turning about. "Or is it, Lost Number Commando Dyme?" The Ooze's face could not possibly show any semblance of emotion, yet Mumm-Ra detected a glimmer of fear in its eyes. "Such a sad tale. To gain power, you submitted to a process that ultimately failed." A step closer. "It must be so frustrating, Dyme. After being so soundly defeated, after two thousand years spent painstakingly reconstructing yourself molecule by molecule, thought by very thought," Mumm-Ra let his voice carry a snide, yet patronizing tone, "you end up nothing more than an enormous puddle of snot." Mumm-Ra stood, relishing Ooze's silence.  
"What do you propose?"  
"You will serve me," he began, "and in return for your fealty I shall make you whole once more."  
"You... you can DO that? You have a processing tank? Researchers? Kronos still lives?"  
Kronos... ah, yes. The boy had used that word.  
"Do not bother me with such nonsense," Mumm-Ra said. "I have magics beyond your comprehension."  
"What would you have me do?"  
"You will aid me in the utter annihilation of the ThunderCats, and an enemy you would know far better than I." Mumm-Ra raised his hand and summoned an image in his palm.  
"GUYVER!" Ooze shouted. "He still lives?!"  
"He does. He..."  
"Save it, Mumm-Ra! I accept!"  
"Excellent."  
"One one condition."  
"And that would be?" Mumm-Ra snarled.  
"Do whatever you want to the ThunderCats, but Guyver is MY enemy! If anyone kills him, it will be me!"  
"I can live with that. Now, make way." The Ooze parted as Mum-Ra's feet touched the cold, decayed soil. Onward he strode, the goo keeping clear of him, to the center of the riverbed. Once there, he cast a teleportation spell and both disappeared from sight.

Disgusting, Mumm-Ra thought as he gazed about the tomb chamber. Everywhere he saw a sea of cold slime undulating and bubbling. The sludge rose to his knees, and the SMELL! Like decomposing flesh overlaid with mold.  
If I still ate, Mumm-Ra mused, I would be throwing up right now.  
"Well done," the Ancient Spirits of Evil said. "Begin the spell and take your rest. We shall wake you when it is time."  
Mumm-Ra raised his hands and between them an orb of energy formed like a tiny sun. Brighter and brighter it glowed, purple light bathing the tomb until the massive bulk of the Ooze began to rise toward it.  
"What the hell is this?!" he heard Ooze cry as his gelatinous form rose and formed a tapered point which led into the sphere. Mumm-Ra ignored its frenzied shrieks of pain as the Ooze was sucked into the spell. Finally, it was done, yet Ooze's foulness still lingered about everything it had touched.  
"By the way," Mumm-Ra said as the orb lowered itself into the scrying pool, "I forgot to mention that this is going to hurt like all kinds of hell."

Nothing to do, Sho thought as he soared above the desert which had become home. Home? No, wrong word. Food and a bed, but not a home. Did he even have one?  
Sho halted his flight and puzzled over that thought as he beheld the immense vista of noontime desert. The sky stretched out above and beyond him, an infinite sea of pale blue dominated by the fierce golden disc of the sun. Far below him a featureless flat expanse which was the desert floor gave no evidence of life having any hold upon it.  
I thought deserts were supposed to have all kinds of bugs and snakes, he thought though he could not recall where he had picked up that fact. If he could recall at least one thing, just one damn thing, about his past...  
Sho reached out with his mind. Again there was nothing. The owner of the voice which had bade him come seemed not to be out there anymore. "So fucking tired of this," he cursed. "I want to know who I AM!"  
More than that, he wanted to know why he had the Guyver, why so many had died for it. The thought hit Sho like a punch in the gut. Those Berbils, the Warrior Maidens, Willa... All of them had lost their lives over the weird armor he was wearing at that moment. All this power...  
I can fly, I can destroy things six ways from Sunday, I even rescue ThunderCats in the process, he mused ruefully, But I can't protect innocent lives. That's a real bitch.  
Even his intention to examine the rubble of Cat's Lair seemed pointless in that light. If all this armor was good for was wanton destruction, then it stood to reason that using it for any other purpose would end only in disaster. In trying to help them, was he really endangering them? Why did these thoughts seem so familiar?  
Sho shook himself out of his train of thought, but couldn't manage to dislodge the sadness and frustration.

Agito growled in irritation as he again had to hide himself from Sho's telepathic attempts. It's all part of the plan, he kept saying to himself. The mantra, which had served him so well in his plot to infiltrate Kronos all those centuries ago, did nothing to quell his rising impatience. And fear.  
Fear, he snorted. How long since I felt that? It didn't matter. It was coming. Should have happened already. Would have if not for his indomitable will.  
There was really no such thing as immortality, he had learned just a decade past, when he first felt the Guyver Unit try to leave him. Just a tugging deep in his mind at first, each successive attack had been worse than the one before. And more frequent just this year alone.  
Once the host was no longer sufficient to sustain the Guyver - old age, for instance - the unit would try to leave the body. Preventing his own separation had been, as his saying went, all part of the plan. He had to wait for Sho to awaken. It was his only chance. He needed Sho.  
I only have one bio-boost left in me, Agito thought. I must save it for when it really counts.

Lion-O entered the main control chamber of the Tower, manned only by Lynx-O at the moment, slightly irritated. All about the perimeter of the Tower Tuskas and ThunderCats were busy digging in fixed cannons and building bunkers. Once the next Tuska shipment arrived, early warning posts would be established to extend the range and sensitivity of the Cat's Eye. Every able-bodied man and woman was helping.  
Except Sho.  
"I have found him, Lion-O," the lynx said. On the monitor on the wall above an image of desert sky filled the screen with Sho in his armored form hovering in mid-air as though gravity was his servant.  
"Why is he using the Guyver?" Lion-O asked, suddenly concerned.  
"I am detecting nothing else in the vicinity," Lynx-O offered. "Shall I put you through to him?"  
"Yes," he snapped on seeing that Sho was wearing the wrist-comm.

Mumm-Rana glared into the depths of her own scrying pool at the image of the Destroyer hovering above the sands. With each breath, each moment of seeing that bastard standing above her world, her anger grew.  
Look at him, she thought, floating there like he owns the skies! I would not be surprised if he were selecting a target!  
"He has left the Tower of Omens," the Ancient Spirits of Light said. "If you wish to challenge him, do so now,"  
"With pleasure." She raised her arms skyward and felt the energies of goodness and righteousness fill her near to bursting.  
"Ancient Spirits of Light! Transform this ancient form... To Mumm-Rana, the Ever Living!"  
The pain took her as her body became large and powerful. Bandages shredded away as her pure white tunic appeared around her torso and upper legs. Her hood blew backward as a golden helmet materialized atop her head, a belt and boots following suit.  
"Destroyer," she snarled as righteous fury raged within her, "today you DIE!"

"Go ahead, Lion-O," Sho replied, cringing inside.  
"Sho, is anything wrong out there?"  
"No." Not anything you'd understand, he managed not to add.  
"What the hell are you doing out there, then?" Lion-O's voice said it all. He was annoyed as hell, and the others probably were, too.  
"I was headed to Cat's Lair to see if I could remove some of the rubble," Sho answered. It was the truth, even. He had only stopped to try and find that voice.  
"Sho, listen, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but Tygra's handling the extraction. There's a lot of work to be done here, and we could use every pair of hands we can get."  
"Got it. Sorry, Lion-O."  
"Don't worry about it," the lion said back, his voice considerably more mellow. "Just get back..."  
"Sho!"  
"Yeah?" he said, worried about Lynx-O's shout.

"What is it?" Lion-O asked as the image of Sho zoomed out to a map screen. In the upper-right quadrant was a red blip that was moving toward Sho's position.  
Fast.  
"I do not know," Lynx-O replied, "but it is putting out large energy readings."  
"Sho! Get back to the Tower! Now!"

"On it!" Sho said as he angled back to the Tower of Omens. Another fucking fight, and what had he done to provoke it? Well, this was one that he would not fight. He didn't start this...  
"Destroyer!" screamed a booming female voice as the woman herself appeared before him.  
"Son of a bitch..." Sho muttered.

"Mumm-Rana?!" Lion-O gasped, utterly flabbergasted.  
"I am summoning the others," Lynx-O said as streams of data scrolled past the images of Sho and Mumm-Rana. The rest of the ThunderCats, sans Cheetara, arrived in moments, all wearing looks of utter bewilderment.  
"What in Jaga's name is she doing?" Panthro asked as the two appeared to speak. Sho's wrist-comm had gone suddenly offline.  
"If I didn't know better," WilyKat replied, "I'd say she's spoiling for a fight!"  
"If that's the case, she's gonna get a doozy!" Snarfer said.  
"So's he, if this goes on!" Lion-O said. "We can't let them fight! Lynx-O, call Sho again!"  
"No good," the old one answered, "his communicator appears to have taken damage from her energy field!"  
"Damnit. We'll take the Thunderstrike! Pumyra, Tygra, you're with me! Lynx-O, keep monitoring them!" Lion-O wasted no time barrelling out of the room, Pumyra and Tygra close behind.  
Neither one of them knows what they're dealing with! Lion-O thought. I can't let them duke it out, especially so close to the Tower!

"So, Destroyer, you've finally left your protective womb."  
"Um, WHAT?!" Sho replied.  
"Do not play dumb with me," the female super-mummy said smugly. "I know what you are."  
"Okay, good. Mind filling me in?" Sho hovered in midair, staring into her stony face. This would end up in a fight, he just knew it.  
"I know your memory has failed you, monster," she said, "but mine serves me quite well. I will not let you destroy Third Earth!""That's all well and good, seeing how I don't want to blow this planet up in the first place!"  
"Do not lie to me..."  
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not lying to you." The Tower of Omens is only two miles to the south, Sho thought. When this shit hits the fan, I gotta lead her away!  
"Just one thing," Sho said, "you'll chase me if I run, right?"  
"To the ends of Third Earth."  
"Then catch me if you can!" Sho tore off through the sky on an easterly course, thinking back to the maps of Third Earth he had studied. On this approach, he could get her alone and figure out what to do from there.

Lion-O steered the Thunderstrike across the sky as his radar showed Sho and Mumm-Rana rocketing off for parts unknown. From the last radar contact, he knew they were headed toward the east where no area was yet inhabited.  
"I know that place," Tyrgra's voice said over the intercom.  
"So?"  
"Lion-O, they are headed toward where you passed my annointment trial."  
"Yeah, I remember," Lion-O replied. "No one lives there, if I recall right."  
"I confirm it's uninhabited," Pumyra said, "and Sho is slowing down."  
Thank Jaga, Lion-O thought. At least there were no innocent bystanders. Sho had chosen his battlefield well.  
"How far out are we?"  
"At least ten minutes," he heard Tyga say. "Those two move pretty damn fast."  
"Full power to the engines," Lion-O ordered. "We've gotta get there before the sparks really start flying. Pumyra!"  
"Yes?"  
"Establish a feed with the Tower of Omens. I want them to see this in real time with us." We'll need this data.  
"Just give me five minutes."  
Lion-O did the math. Good enough.

Mumm-Rana felt her power weaken, and her anger rise, with each burst of mystical energy the Destroyer managed to evade. She realized that he was toying with her, trying to taunt her into a serious attack that would give him time to use his incredible speed to get the jump on her.  
You don't realize your mistake, she thought, there are no innocents to hide you in this desert. You WILL be mine!  
The Destroyer paused in mid-air for a moment before dropping like a stone to avoid another magical attack. Mumm-Rana paused for a moment as her hated nemesis sank to the ground. What the hell was he up to?

Looking around, Sho could have sworn that nothing alive could call this parched stretch of land home. If he had to make his stand, it had to be here.  
It wouldn't be much of a stand, either, he thought as Mumm-Rana landed just ten feet away. From what he had seen of Mumm-Ra, her powers were much like his.  
All I have to do, he thought as the she-mummy touched down, is keep her busy. When she runs out of power, I can just leave.  
That was, of course, if she ran out of energy before he did.  
Too late to worry now, he thought as she landed level to him.

"They're squaring off," Panthro gasped as the two titans began to circle each other. The gathered Thundercats and Tuskas in the control chamber stood at rigid attention. This, circumstances notwithstanding, would be a battle for the ages.  
The Thunderstrike drew ever closer to the scene of imminent battle, the image growing sharper as the Cat's Eye drew additional data feeds from the airborne vehicle.

"You're persistent," Sho said, highly annoyed. "I will give you that."  
"So long as you draw breath," Mumm-Rana began, "I shall hunt you into hell itself."  
"Nice to have a fan," Sho deadpanned as his feet found purchase on the hard surface of the desert. "Mind telling me why you're so obsessed?"  
"You will destroy this world," Mumm-Rana said yet again. "I shall not allow it."  
"That again," Sho hissed. "How many times do I have to say it?! I don't want to destroy this world?!"  
"Say it until all the hells freeze over," Mummm-Rana said. "I will never believe it, and I will kill you!"  
Have I always had such bad luck with women? Sho thought as he leapt back from a burst of emerald energy which had cratered the earth upon which he once stood. "So far, I'm batting a total zero!"  
Sho leapt and dodged as Mumm-Rana fired bolt after bolt of magical energy. Given enough time, he could weather this assault.  
She and Mumm-Ra can't be too far removed, Sho thought as he dodged yet another bolt of energy. Her power can't be unlimited. I just have to wait her out and leave. No problem!

"That's wierd," Bengali said as he watched Sho and Mumm-Rana's battle. The image, enhanced via the Thunnderstrike's sensors, showed Guyver leaping about her attacks. By all he had learned, Sho should be beating the hell out of Mumm-Rana by now. Why was he holding back?  
Was I wrong?!

Mumm-Rana paused as the Destroyer landed clear of another attack. Why was he not fighting back? Even if he had amnesia, such an ingrained instinct to kill should have manifested itself by now.  
What if...  
Yes, that made sense.  
"Well done, Destroyer."  
"Keep that up, and I won't answer to that name anymore."  
"Save your snide comments. I know your scheme."  
"For the love of God, what are you going on about now?"  
"You mean to have me exhaust my power before exercising your own."  
Oh, damn, Sho thought.  
"To think that I almost fell for the oldest trick in the book!" she cackled, sending bolts of fear through Sho.  
"Then how about getting the hell out of my face?" Sho asked. "I already told you that I don't want to fight!"  
"So long as I rid Third Earth of you," Mumm-Rana said, hovering just a foot above the ground, "Then I don't care what you say, Guyver!"  
"Figures... YOW!"

Almost there, Lion-O thought as the Thunderstrike screamed through the skies of Third Earth. He checked his long range sensors again, and found Mumm-Rana giving far more than Sho was. Why wasn't he fighting back? By all he knew of the boy, he should have been giving as good as he was getting. Why the sudden desire to put on the kid gloves?

Getting a little worn down, Mumm-Rana mused as the Destroyer narrowly avoided another blast. Was he only playing with her? Was his power truly so great that he could disregard her own attacks? Or was it as he claimed? That he had no desire to fight?  
No, he MUST! He is the Destroyer!  
Mumm-Rana cursed as, despite her adjusted aim, Guyver avoided another of her spells. He stood rooted in place upon landing as if daring her to use her magic again. If he truly wanted that...  
Wait...  
She felt it nearing the site of their battle. Three Thunderians were approaching rapidly. No doubt they were concerned for their supposed ally.  
I know they won't believe me, Mumm-Rana thought. He would have them under his spell by now. Still, best that they not interfere...  
Mumm-Rana could not know it, but her decision was completely the wrong one. She raised her palm, sending a spell that stopped the Thunderstrike while simultaneously holding it aloft.

"DAMN!" Lion-O swore as the Thunderstrike stopped as though the air had become solid. Every instrument showed a perfect functionality rate, yet the craft didn't budge an inch!  
"What the hell happened?" Tygra's voice said from the intercom.  
"Mumm-Rana," Pumyra said, "she's caught us in some kind of spell!"  
"Do not fear, Thundercats," Mumm-Rana's magically boosted voice said, "I shall soon rid you of this demon!" On finding the Thunderstrike's outer address system operative, Lion-O replied,  
"He is our ally! Why are you attacking him?"

"Oh, crap," Panthro muttered as he saw Mumm-Rana seize the Thunderstrike. "Has she flipped?"  
"Why isn't he fighting back?" Bengali asked. "Are her words true, or what?"  
"I do not know about her claims," Lynx-O said, "but you are mistaken."  
"How?" Bengali asked.  
"From what I detect on the braille board," the old one said gravely, "Sho is about to start fighting back."

Sho saw the Thunderstrike imprisoned in midair, encased in an emerald bubble of energy. He felt his anger rise like an eruption of molten lava as he saw the Thundercats held helpless. If she claimed to be a champion of goodness, why attack them?  
It wasn't like an epiphany, or as reverent as a revelation, but it was still clear.  
"Oh, HELL NO!" Sho focused on her still upraised hand before firing the laser mounted in his helmet. The bright green energy lanced out faster than his enhanced eyes could follow, impacting Mumm-Ranna's forearm with an explosion of gore just a millisecond before the limb fell to the earth. He ignored her howls of surprised pain as the severed limb twitched feebly upon the ground. There was no blood, his laser having cauterized every artery and vein it touched.  
Damnit, they're still trapped! he thought as he shifted his aim. If that alone didn't work, he'd have to start pulling out some stops. Sho hoped he wouldn't have to.

"GYAAAH!" Mumm-Rana screamed as her severed arm fell to the ground. She whirled about to face the Destroyer, fury burning in her veins. How... DARE he?!  
"Clever trick!" she bellowed, trying to hide the fear which had begun to take root. "But, what do you hope to accomplish?"  
"Release them," Destroyer snarled, fury dripping from each syllable. "NOW!"  
"No. I will not allow..." The rest of her reply was cut off as he streaked toward her nearly faster than her eyes could follow. Mumm-Rana felt the wind as one of his sonic swords passed within an inch of her face, another swipe to her stomach coming nearly as close.  
Why? Why is he only fighting so hard now?  
Could it be? She had only a fraction of a second to glance at the still-suspended Thunderstrike before dodging another swipe of his blades.

"LET THEM GO!" The assembled Thundercats and Tuskas heard Sho scream over the live feed. "They're no threat to you! Let them go, damnit!"  
Bengali could only watch, transfixed, as Sho went after Mumm-Rana hammer and tongs. Had he been wrong all along? Did Sho truly care about the Thundercats so much that he would wreak such wounds on their behalf?  
The albino tiger could truly focus on one thing, that his beloved Pumyra was aboard the Thunderstrike which Mumm-Rana still held imprisoned. Her life, regardless of the circumstances, was in extreme danger, and Sho was likely her only way back home. Fight, damn you, Bengali thought, bring her back to me! His earlier thoughts about Sho and his Guyver had vanished next to the horrible prospect of Pumyra dying out there.  
I don't care what you have to do, he thought, just bring her back to me!

Mumm-Rana tried every trick she could think of, yet each was countered before they could bear fruit. The Destroyer was fighting with vigor she had thought once impossible. She tuned out his screams of rage, all of which damned her for imprisoning the Tundercat vehicle, while he tried his best to reduce her to cold cuts.  
Then, he changed tactics.  
A upward diagonal slash from the blade on his right arm proved to be only a feint, which she noticed too late to prevent his left fist from slamming like a rocket into her temple. Stars novaed across her vision as another, and still another blow landed against her head, her helmet buckling under each impact. A gout of blood flew from her lips as a murderously hard punch nearly caved in her stomach.  
"Let them go, damn you!" she heard him scream. Another blow landed to her chest, pain blossoming like a tortured rose. "Let them go and I'll stop!"  
Much as she hated to admit it, he was coming closer and closer to killing, actually KILLING, her. Was it possible that he truly cared about the Thundercats? Would he be willing to kill her in order to protect them?

"Look at him go." Turmagar whispered it in the otherwise silent control room.  
"Mumm-Rana just made him real mad," Wilykit said in awe.  
"She shouldn't have attacked our friends," her brother replied.  
"Oh, no," Lynx-O said. "Thunderstrike, do you read me?!"

"Not much else we can do," Lion-O snapped as Mumm-Rana and Sho faced off against each other. The battle was becoming more one-sided by the moment, Sho launching attack after brutal attack without letting Mumm-Rana have any room to use her magics.  
"My readings indicate you are safe..."  
"Get to it!" Pumyra yelled.  
"I detect two distinct energy buildups," Lynx-O said. "The first I see comes from Mumm-Rana, the other I last saw in the raid on Castle Plun-Darr!"  
"You don't mean..."  
"Indeed I do."  
"What kind of danger are they in?!" Bengali asked hotly. On the screen, a battered and gasping Mumm-Rana stood apart from a trembling Sho, each highlighted with streaming data regarding the final, apocalyptic attacks each were preparing. If Pumyra was...

Lion-O, Tygra, and Pumyra each stared down at the two fighters, all three with identical expressions of shock. To think that two of their own allies would fight each other, it was insane! True, Mumm-Rana instigated the battle, but Sho was now giving even better than he got.  
"Incredible," Tygra whispered as the two separated by means of a roundhouse kick from Sho against Mumm-Rana's left chest. He could imagine the sound of her ribs exploding from that impact as she flew backward several feet to land in a quivering heap.  
"It's because of us," Pumyra said as Sho kept his distance. "Sho wasn't even trying until she trapped us."  
"He's not even trying now," Lion-O whispered in response. Brutal as his attacks had been, Lion-O knew that he was still holding back.  
Then Lynx-O's warning had come over the communitation array.  
"Now," Tygra's voice said, "I think he's trying awful damn hard."

By the Ancients! Even her thoughts were coming in gasps now. How? How could that monster have so much fucking POWER?! Mumm-Rana, the ever living, managed to struggle to her feet. Her vision swam, shifted between blurred colors and blurred grays, as she reached deep within herself for more power.  
Can't lift the spell... on the Thundercats, she thought. Need... them safe...  
She could feel her own blood coating her tunic, still oozing from a dozen internal wounds. It was as close to death as she had come since her original mortal death, before becoming servant to the Ancient Spirits of Light. She focused past the fear, past the pain. She had one shot left and, succeed or fail, she would take it.  
The Destroyer would die, even if it meant her own - final - death.

Sho studied Mumm-Rana through the Guyver's eyes, inwardly sick at the injuries he had caused while still furious at how she had used his own friends as hostages.  
I didn't want this, he thought as she stood once more. I don't want this to go where I think it's gonna go.  
Fate, it seemed as he watched her power build, seemed not to give a damn about his wants. Sho began to charge the immense beam under his breastplate, resignation coursing through him. Same old shit, he thought, though he did not know why. As their powers built, as the climax rushed closer, Sho wondered why it had to be this way.  
If it had to be this way at all?  
She's so weak, he realized. Whatever attack she's planning, she's betting the ranch on it.  
Maybe I don't have to kill this time? The thought gave him pause as the weapon reached full capacity, his chest beginning to ache.  
Mumm-Rana's spell screamed forth, and Sho acted.

This is it, Mumm-Rana thought as the power for the spell fully coalesced. She ignored all the pain of the Destroyer's blows, the intense agony in the stump of her severed arm, and focused only on this last desperate attempt. She could feel energy building with him as well, but it somehow seemed faint. Was he toying with her again?  
No time to worry about that. Mumm-Rana recited the chant in her head before letting the immense burst of energy fly.

"Jaga's beard!" Lion-O swore as the blast scorched earth and slammed into where Sho stood. The torrent of power travelled too fast to be seen as it hammered into a rocky outcropping and shattered it in an instant. The Thunderstrike's sensor arrays were overwhelmed, instrument going haywire until several seconds after the burst of raw power faded.  
"Sensors back online," Tygra said weakly. Lion-O scanned the results for himself. The field of energy which surrounded the Thunderstrike disappeared, and he brought the craft down to the earth. Mumm-Rana was in even greater danger than she might know!

Mumm-Rana wanted to scream at the unfairness, the injustice of it all. All that power, every last iota of energy she had left in her...  
And that son of a bitch had just leapt to the side.  
"Damn... you..." Those two words were all she had left for as her body shrank and the bandages, quickly soaked through with blood, wrapped around her once more. Third Earth... She felt the hot, bitter tears fall down her cheeks as her knees hit the hard ground, her torso and head soon following. Damn... damn...

She's crying? Sho realized as he stepped closer, the weapon now powered down. He dimly heard the Thunderstrike touch down as he stared at the tears which streamed from Mumm-Rana's eyes.  
He had tried not to kill, yet he may have done so anyway. Sho felt his heart sink into his stomach as Mumm-Rana's blood soaked into the loose sand atop the hard clay of the desert.  
"Sho!"  
He turned to see Lion-O, Pumyra, and Tygra all staring alternately at him and at Mumm-Rana, each set of cat-like eyes brimming with horror.  
"I didn't want this fight," he said. "I did everything I could to avoid it."  
"Mumm-Rana is one of our friends," Lion-O said with rising anger. "She may have started this, but..."  
"No... Lion... O..."  
"Mumm-Rana!"  
"I... chose this... let me... be an... example..." Mumm-Rana choked, blood welling in her throat which she violently hacked out onto the ground.  
"Example?" Sho asked, incredulous.  
"Failed..." Her voice was becoming weaker by the second. Mumm-Rana, somehow, raised herself to her knees. Her ice-chip eyes locked onto Sho's faceplate, defiance and regret warring for dominance in their depths. "Finish it."  
"What?"  
"Destroyer, you have... won..." Blood was oozing in fatter and fatter streams from the corners of her mouth. "Kill me."  
"Mumm-Rana, stop it!" Tygra shouted.  
"No, Tygra," she managed, "If I cannot kill him, then I... I..." her words dissolved in a fit of coughing that made even more blood explode from between her lips. "Guy...ver..." she spoke in choked whispers now, "end... it. Don't want... to see... let me die with dignity..."  
"No."Sho ignored the horrified looks from the Thundercats. "Too many have died for this armor." He walked over to her prone and vulnerable form. Sho stooped down and, on rising, cradled Mumm-Rana in his arms. She had to have some stronghold on Third Earth.  
"The White Pyramid," Tygra said, as if reading his thoughts, "it's her only chance."  
"Where is it?" Sho asked. Something began to tingle deep in his mind. A memory? He felt the control medal react, and understood.  
"Sho..."  
"Where is it?!"  
"Two hundred miles to the north," Lion-O said. "You can't possibly..."  
Sho tuned Lion-O out as he gently hefted the dying form of Mumm-Rana in his arms. White Pyramid... White Pyramid...  
He could envision it, a pyramid of pure white stone - marble, perhaps - surrounded by...  
And then he was there.

I have no idea how I just did that, Sho thought as he beheld the lush forest. His footfalls were muted by the thick carpet of grass which stretched about the elm and pine ringed grotto. In the center of this most beautiful place stood a massive pyramid nearly identical to what he had envisioned. At each corner stood a massive spire, brilliant blue energy arcing from their tips to the top of the pyramid.  
Several massive stones vanished into thin air as he approached, allowing sunlight into the crypt. His footsteps now echoed like gunshots as he trod a hallway lit with everlasting candles set in golden brackets on the walls. Sho looked down at Mumm-Rana's barely breathing form as he feet carried him into a chamber that gave him momentary pause.  
"Whoa." No other word came to his mind. The crypt chamber was bathed in a warm golden light from the dozens of ambrosia-scented torches which adorned the support pillars. On a dias sat a pool of the clearest water Sho had ever seen, and just beyond lay a raised bed in an ornately carved and bejeweled golden frame. Surrounding what he could only guess was her resting place stood four immense statues of beast-like men, eyes turned inward toward the bed.  
Not much time left, Sho thought as he gently placed Mumm-Rana onto the gleaming silken sheets. Immediately, blue energy wound up from the floor along the four legs of the bed and into her body. Mumm-Rana's eyes flew open, a deep ragged gasp escaping her lips before they closed once more.  
"There's that done," Sho muttered as he looked down at himself, teal armor coated with Mumm-Rana's blood. Finally, he thought as he turned to leave.  
"...wait..." her voice was weak and laden with pain. Sho turned back to face her, those narrow blue eyes glaring into his faceplate.  
"Rest," Sho said.  
"Why... did you... bring..."  
"It was the right thing to do," Sho replied. "Somehow I don't think you really get what that means."  
"I have served the light for... thousands of years," Mumm-Rana's voice was gaining strength, Sho noticed with some small relief. "Do not DARE... lecture me on what is right."  
"Whatever. Too many people have died..."  
"And that is your doing."  
"Like hell it is!" Sho roared, his temper rising. "I never attacked the Berbils, the Warrior Maidens, damnit I never even attacked YOU!"  
"True, yet your presence here precipitated everything. All this chaos follows in your wake."  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Sho asked. He could feel something deep in his locked-away mind stir, and dread fell on him like a shroud.  
"It is all clear to me, now," Mumm-Rana said, her voice becoming dreamlike. "The path on which you walk has no end, Destroyer, and is paved with the corpses of those you love... and those you hate..."  
"Meaning what?"  
"You shall never know peace while you draw breath. Know this: Mine is not the only blood that stains your hands."  
Sho could say nothing. The dread evolved into full despair at Mumm-Rana's words. It had been something gnawing at his consciousness ever since this war started. Having someone else say it to his face...  
"Do not think that saving my life has saved your own for long," Mumm-Rana said. "I shall heal, and I shall face you again."  
"Yeah. Whatever," Sho grumbled as he walked away. More blood than hers stained his hands. How much more?

In the next episode:  
The Tuskas complete their reinforcement of the Tower of Omens as the Thundercats decide on how to handle the immense power of the Guyver. Evil consolidates as enemies, old and new, plot the destruction of Third Earth's mightiest heroes as the Lunataks attempt their plot. Will it succeed?  
Find out in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.

Author's Notes

Holy crap! That has got to be a record for lag time between chapters of a fic! Short form: My computer and my net connection both crapped out. Only recently have I gotten a new one of each.  
I had a nearly complete draft of this chapter, and a partial of the next, before my little hiatus. I kept thinking on that draft, and I kept finding myself totally dissatisfied with it. It's still on my old machine, and I started re-typing it on my laptop when it became a complete re-write. The original fight between Sho and Mumm-Rana read more like a Dragon Ball Z battle than a Guyver one, especially with a Wollo village getting wiped out in the process. It really didn't fit with the start of chapter eleven, either.  
I hope you all enjoy this, and I look forward to writing more of this fic in the future.

Knight Writer. 


	11. Captured

Thundercats used without permission Bio-Booster Armor Guyver used without permission

Thundercats Bio-Booster Armor Guyver One Last War to Fight Episode Eleven

The atmosphere was solemn, filled with worry and doubt as the Thundercats held council. With the exception of Cheetara, Wilykit, and Wilykat, the Thunderians gathered to decide a key issue.  
What to do about Guyver?  
The power he had displayed in the remote desert shocked all who had seen it. Each and every Thundercat knew that Sho had been holding back when he had finally responded to Mumm-Rana's attacks.  
Tygra went first.  
"Upon reviewing all available data," he began, "one thing becomes clear. Lynx-O?"  
"Certainly."  
The main viewscreen showed an enlarged map of the territory surrounding the Tower. "I have taken testimony from Lynx-O, the crew manning the Thunderstrike, and from Sho," he began, "and this is what I have surmised." The screen focused on one point, merely two miles from the Tower. "Sho paused here, by his word, on his way to check on Cat's Lair. From here," another screen, this one bearing a map of Third Earth, lit to show a massive gridwork in which the White Pyramid's coordnates were highlighted, "Mumm-Rana left to engage Sho," the map screen focused on the coordinates of their meeting, both views corresponding, "here. At this point, the Thunderstrike..."  
"Get to the heart of it," Panthro said, annoyed. "There's no need for all the technicalities."  
"Very well," Tygra said. "At this point," The visual and the optical images changed, "Mumm-Rana and Sho met. The two relocated here," the image changed to a lonely stretch of desert well outside of Mumm-Ra's influence. "At this point, they began to fight."  
"So, here's the question," Bengali said. "Who was right?"  
"From the limited information I have, " Lynx-O said, "both. And neither."  
"Care to phrase that so it makes sense?" Lion-O asked, mildly annoyed.  
"Mumm-Rana believed she was right to attack him, and Sho felt entirely in his rights to defend himself."  
"Shnarf, I'd say he did more than that!" Snarf chirped. "Did any of you see what happened to her?"  
"We all did, Snarf," Lion-O said. "A few of us got front row seats."  
"It is my judgment," Lynx-O began, "that Sho bears no fault in this at all."  
"How?" Lion-O asked, though he anticipated the answer.  
"Sho tried to avoid this confrontation," Lynx-O began, "even going so far as to lead Mumm-Rana to an area of Third Earth he knew to be desolate."  
"In that place," Panthro said, "There would be no innocent bystanders."  
"Precisely," Lynx-O said. "He knew that no one lived out there, and if worse came to worse, he could fight vigorously without fear of undue casualties."

Damn it, Sho thought as he lay back on the bed. The soft mattress offered no comfort to either his weary muscles or his exhausted mind. The last rays of the sun shone red along the far wall, the color uncomfortably close to the blood he had recently worn like a shroud.  
More than her blood on my hands...  
The more he brooded on those words, the more plausible they seemed. From one dark and fractured angle of his mind, he could assume the blame for all those dead since his awakening. No matter which way he looked at it, a lot of Mutants died at his hands. He had killed them - if not gleefully - with no remorse. They were the enemy. They were the ones who had - quite gleefully in their case - killed and maimed innocent beings with abandon.  
Zoanoids... they reminded him of Zoanoids.  
"What the fuck is a Zoanoid?" he muttered. The door chime sounded, preventing Sho from taking his thoughts about monsters and blood one step further.

Wilykat entered the room at Sho's invitation. He looked directly into the human's eyes, his own betraying no fear. Or so he had thought when Sho averted his gaze in shame.  
"Hi," Sho said lamely as Wilykat fully entered the room.  
"Yeah." The boy stood there for a stretch of seconds, trying to assemble the words he wanted to say.  
"I'm sorry about all this."  
"It's not your fault," Wilykat replied, glad he hadn't had to make the first move. He ambled toward the dresser across from the bed, finally confident that he could ask.  
"Sho?"  
"Yeah?"  
"What's it like? Y'know, when you..."  
"Change?"  
"Yeah."  
Sho let out a long breath through his teeth as he leaned back against his arms. His eyes closed, and nearly a minute passed before he answered.  
"It's kinda hard to put into words," he began, "like all of a sudden I'm filled with energy. So much it seems like I'm gonna explode."  
"That's gotta be a rush," Wilykat said, intrigued. "Kinda like you can do anything?"  
"Oh, yeah. And that scares the crap out of me."  
"Why?" Wilykat asked, stunned. "If you've got so much power, what've YOU got to be afraid of?"  
"What it is," Sho began, "why I have it, things like that."  
"So, if you remembered your past, you wouldn't be scared of it?"  
"I don't know," Sho said at length. "This armor, it does a hell of a lot more than protect me..."  
"You got THAT right...," Wilykat cringed at the look on Sho's face. "Sorry, I..."  
"It's okay. I deserved that. Anyway," Sho said quickly, "this Guyver thing, it's a weapon. It turns ME into a weapon. Weapons have only one use, Kat, and you know it."  
"I don't think you're a weapon," Wilykat replied. "A weapon wouldn't have done what you just did."  
"You mean with that Mumm-Rana wacko, right?"  
"Yeah. I saw you vanish with her, and I saw all that power at the White Pyramid. On the viewscreen," he hurriedly explained. "You saved her."  
"I guess I did. But, I'm the one who wounded her so badly in the first place."

"He did so only when he thought Lion-O, Tygra, and myself were in danger," Pumyra said. "Before her spell trapped the Thunderstrike, all he did was dodge around her."  
"And, as soon as she had you," Panthro said, "he used that head beam of his to shear her arm right off. Was that really necessary?"  
"If you ask that," Bengali said, surprised to be defending Sho, "You might as well ask if it had been necessary to use that gravity bomb on Mumm-Ra."  
"Or the particle beam in his chest to ensure our escape from Castle Plun-Darr," Tygra offered.  
"That's different, and you know it," Panthro replied. "The Mutants and Mumm-Ra are our enemies. Mumm-Rana isn't!"  
"And how was the boy to know that?" Lynx-O asked. "Had anyone told him?"  
Silence filled the makeshift council chamber.

Wilykit listened outside the still-open door to Sho's room, committing every word to memory. The Guyver scares Sho? He DOESN'T want to fight, he just does because he's not been given a choice?  
She could respect that. Given the choice, she'd much rather ride her spaceboard than deal with Mutants. And it wasn't like Sho hadn't given Mumm-Rana more than enough chances to end that fight peacefully.  
Maybe, Wilykit thought, he's as much a victim as Willa and Nayda were. As much as we are.  
Sho hadn't been able to save Willa or Nayda, but he had saved her and her brother. Cheetara and Snarf, as well. Without his firepower, that rescue would never have come off.  
Through with eavesdropping, she knocked on the door, looking for all the world as if she had just arrived.  
"Time, huh?" Sho asked, his voice subdued.  
"Yeah. They just sent me to fetch you."  
"Gotta face the music, I guess," Sho replied as he rose from the bed. His original clothing had been replaced with a pair of dark red pants, and a spare tunic of Wilykat's that had proven too large for her brother to wear. Thundercat insignia, of course, removed.

Sho followed the young Thunderian girl through the gently curving hallways of the Tower of Omens, her brother in step behind him. He knew it, this was it. They would demand, in as polite a manner as possible, him to leave. He had finally freaked them the fuck out. Sho couldn't blame them. He was scaring the hell out of himself as well. With each new power the Guyver showed him, he became even more terrifying. Especially to himself.  
I beat the hell out of Mumm-Rana, he thought, and then somehow teleported over two hundred fucking miles to her pyramid. I don't even know how I did that last bit!  
And, he thought with disgust, I hadn't even been trying when I pummeled her. It was instinct.  
"Here we are," Wilykit's alto voice said. Sho gazed upon the cobalt blue double doors. Within lay his fate with the Thundercats.  
"Just so you know," Wilykat said softly. "I'm pulling for you."  
"Same here," Wilykit added. "Good luck."  
"Thanks." I'm gonna need it.

Sho entered the control chamber of the Tower of Omens. Subdued humming vibrated through the air as the myriad of machinery performed various functions vital to the fortress. Around a circular table sat all of the Thundercats, minus the kids, he had met. He felt every eye fixed on him as he approached.  
"Sho," spoke Tygra as he neared the one clear spot at the table. "Lion-O is Lord of the Thundercats, though I am the head of our council."  
"I understand." Just get the hell on with it, he thought.  
"We have reviewed your actions against Mumm-Rana, who is one of our allies."  
"Okay." Go ahead and tell me to leave, damn it!  
"We are aware that you did all in your power to end the conflict peacefully, and that you only attacked when you thought three of our own were in mortal peril.  
"We also are aware that we had not told you of Mumm-Rana's affilliation with the Thundercats. Given all the available evidence, we find that you acted in all truthfulness toward our defence."  
"Yes." What the hell?  
"We," Tygra said as he swept an arm around the table, "have reached a decision. Your lack of memories, combined with your abilities, makes you potentially dangerous. However, we Thundercats are not deterred by danger."  
What the hell?  
"We are well aware of the contributions you have made to our defense," Tygra said, "and we are grateful. However, if you are to live under our roof, you must learn to follow our laws and ways."  
"Um... huh?"  
"We're not naming you a Thundercat," Lion-O explained, "Nor do we wish you to be merely a weapon for us. But, it would seem our fates are intwined with yours."  
"What Lion-O means," Tygra said before Sho could form a thought, "Is that we all need each other. As such, it is the decision of this council that - while you live with us - you learn our ways. We shall teach you of our laws, traditions, and technologies. Also, as Lion-O has promised, we shall do all we can to restore your lost memories."  
"I... think I understand," Sho began. "But, if I just pounded one of your friends, why are you letting me stay?"  
"We are still unclear of Mumm-Rana's intentions, but we know you tried to prevent yet another battle. And that you went out of your way to save her afterward."  
Sho absorbed Tygra's words, awash with confusion. He could stay? He nearly killed one of their allies, and they were letting him stay?  
"How'd you do that, anyway?" Panthro's voice broke him from his train of thought.  
"Um... well, I don't know. I just kinda... did it."  
"Just did it?" Lion-O asked with a raised eyebrow.  
"It's hard to explain, but when you said 'White Pyramid' and told me where it was, I thought about it and next thing I knew I was there." Sho raised his hands almost defensevely. "I really don't know how it works. The armor sorta told me," he finished meekly.  
"It's clear that a full inventory of your armor's powers is necessary," Tygra said. "We will catalogue them at our earliest opportunity. Sho, we will need you to use those weapons for detailed analysis."  
"O... okay, sure." A feeling of dread washed over him then. Why?  
"Have you anything to say?" Tygra asked. Sho paused for a moment. He didn't want to bring this up. "Yes. When I awoke in the Treetop Kingdom, I heard a... voice. In my head."  
"Was it the Guyver speaking?" Lynx-O asked. Every other set of eyes now held a deep concern.  
"No. I do know this much, it came from somewhere - someone else."  
"Like telepathy?" Pumyra inquired.  
"Yeah. Yeah, that was it." Sho became more and more certain with each word. "For a while, if I focused right, I could almost feel where it was coming from."  
"Has it spoken recently?"  
"Not since the raid on that Plun-Darr place. I haven't even been able to feel it lately. It kept telling me to come, that it knew my past. You can see why I didn't trust it." I hope.  
"Nor would we blame you," Tygra responded. "In conclusion, Sho, you will need to be awake at first light. Pumyra has informed us that Cheetara will be released from the infirmary tomorrow. During the rest of her recuperation, she will instruct you on the Code of Thundera."  
"I understand."  
"Very well. Council is adjourned."

"What," Primor began, his rage straining its bonds, "the blue HELL is all this?!"  
He glared at the main monitor, normally recessed into the wall across from his bed, as if his eyes could drill through the screen and abolish the images. Upon it, in each quadrant, he beheld earthen likenesses of those damned statues, each standing nearly a quarter of a mile high.  
"We've scanned the energy barrier numerous times," another Simian's voice reported. "Every attempt to break it down has failed." Primor barely noticed the quiver of fear in that voice.  
"Mumm-Ra..." he snarled, his fists balled and shaking at his sides. Tiny droplets of blood fell from them to splatter on the floor. "Mumm-Ra..." He stalked over to the still-bound Laheela. Her eyes were shut, chest gently rising and falling with each breath.  
"MUMM-RAAAAA!"  
Laheela's eyes snapped open at his furious roar. He didn't see the flicker of fear in those orange windows to her soul, and would not have cared if he had. Rage pulsed within him as a second heartbeat that pulsed throughout his entire body, vision becoming red at the fringes.  
He wanted to lash out, no, to beat the ever living shit out of anything, anything in his reach.  
There was Laheela.  
His hands neared her throat...  
Rage...  
He felt the pulse of her life beneath his calloused hands...  
NO!  
Primor jerked himself back as if recoiling from an electric shock. Laheela was too important. He had her broken just right. It would take months to break in another. The rest of the Thunderian meat aboard the ships were no good. Men, children, galley slaves and heavy lifters. The women were given to the captains beneath him, then their own first officers... no single family remained together among the slaves.  
Primor pressed a small raised button on his gauntlet. Immediately, the shackles around Laheela's wrists released. He had not bothered to chain her legs.  
Laheela charged out the door. She needed no prodding.  
He stalked about his chambers, fuming. He needed calm. He needed to think.

"Oh, man," Sho muttered as he walked toward the infirmary directly after breakfast. "This first light thing blows!"  
"I hear it's tough for humans at first," came a gravelly voice from behind. Sho spun to see Bengali approaching, a strange look on his face.  
"Hey! Hi, Bengali." Do all Thundercats sneak up on people or what?  
"Sho," he said, "I'd like a word."  
"I'm supposed..."  
"I know. We need to talk."  
"Okay, sure. What's up?" he replied around a yawn.

Bengali looked into the sleep-addled eyes of the small human, considering his words with care.  
"Sho," he said, "this entire situation is hard on everyone. Know that your actions will be watched closely."  
"I kinda gathered that from last night," Sho replied, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't really need any warnings."  
"No, Sho, you do..."  
"You agree with Mumm-Rana, don't you? You think this is all because of me."  
"Sho..."  
"Wanna know something, Bengali? I've thought about it. In some way, I do shoulder some of the blame. If I hadn't come around, none of this would have happened. But it has. Nothing's gonna change that!"  
"Kit and I went to check in on the Warrior Maidens," Bengali hissed. Anger seethed in his mind. "Only a handful of them are left. Wilykit lost two of her closest friends in that attack. When she heard Willa and Nayda were dead, she cried in my arms for an hour! She cried all the way back here!"  
Bengali stopped himself short as he saw the pain explode in Sho's eyes. Blue, much like his own, he noticed as the tears began to well in their depths.  
What have I done? he asked himself in horror. Did Sho know them as well?  
"...fuck..." Sho said in a strangled gasp as his out-swung fist slammed against the wall. The human boy screwed his eyes shut as drops trickled down his face.  
"Sho..." Bengali, mortified, placed a hand on Sho's trembling shoulder.  
"Don't you fucking TOUCH me!" he shouted as he slapped the hand away. Bengali barely repressed the instincive response of reaching for his hammer. When the boy gazed up again, Bengali saw anger swimming in so much anguish. "I gotta go. Don't want to be late."  
Bengali could only watch as Sho spun about and stormed away.  
He wasn't acting, he thought. That pain was as real as Wilykit's.  
Jaga's Beard...

Unaware of the altercation between her lover and Sho, Pumyra studied the rapidly fading scars which streaked about Cheetara's back and upper thighs. Each line discolored her tawny skin, some cutting swaths through her spots.  
"How are the ribs?"  
"Still a little sore," Cheetara replied, "but manageable."  
"Well, I have to say," Pumyra said as she gently prodded the still-bandaged area, "your recuperation is excellent."  
"Running isn't the only thing we Cheetahs do quickly," Cheetara said with a smirk.  
"I can imagine!" Pumyra laughed, rising. "So, I think it's time for you to rejoin the world."  
"I'd be glad to. The hospitality is nice, but I don't think I'll be coming back any time soon."  
"Here's hoping, anyway. It's great to have you back on your feet. Speaking of which," Pumyra said as she fetched a new leotard for Cheetara, "stick to light jogging for the next week or so."  
"Got it," Cheetara said with a grin and twinkle in her eyes.  
"And when I say light, Cheetara," Pumyra's face took a stern expression, "I mean keep it UNDER the sound barrier."  
"You're no fun," Cheetara said, sticking her tongue out.  
"As a healer," Pumyra said imperiously, "it is my solemn duty to be a fun-hating grouch." Both women began to snicker, then laugh loudly.  
"Ow, ow..."  
"Easy on the ribs, Cheetara."  
"I know, I know," she replied with a slight wheeze. "Seriously, It's good to have you back."  
"Good to BE back." Both women embraced gently.  
"I have to go," Pumyra said. "Sho will be here soon."  
"Oh, my new Code of Thundera pupil, eh?"  
"Yes. He'll stick to you like glue until noon or so."  
"Okay."  
Pumyra left as Cheetara gathered her clothes, her spirits lighter than they had been in days. As a healer, nothing beat seeing a patient healed and ready to go. As Cheetara's friend and fellow Thundercat, the relief and joy was even greater.  
The door opened and shut noiselessly as she entered the corridor and turned right. The smile on her face seemed as if it could become permanent just as Sho appeared.  
Her greeting died when she saw his tortured eyes. He'd been crying?!  
"Sho," she said when he drew nearer.  
"Yeah?"  
"Is everything okay?" The sadness in his voice was palpable. What happened?  
"Yeah. Fine. I'm running a little late. Sorry." Sho brushed past without another word. Pumyra stared after him until he rounded the bend.  
She thought back to the breakfast table, the last time she had seen him, and remembered the strange look on Bengali's face.  
"Bengali, you didn't..." she whispered, her smile now gone.

Cheetara didn't immediately dress. She walked about the small infirmary, eyes lingering for a moment on the twin metal racks between which she had been suspended, before arriving in front of a full-length mirror.  
She studied her taut and trim form, turning one way and the other, noting the off-color scar that ran just below her full breasts. With a shudder, she could almost hear Slythe's hissing voice and the crack of his hideous whip.  
The scarring hadn't been as bad as it could have been, she noticed. Pumyra's skills had seen to that. Though she never mentioned it to any of the other Thundercats, Cheetara took pride in her shapely figure. The Code of Thundera didn't say one solitary thing about knowing you look good.  
Lion-O notices, too, she thought with a blush. She locked that thought away with the other such ideas and notions. There wasn't time for them, now.

Sho walked into the doorway to the infirmary, lost in his own horror and pain. Willa. Nayda. Dead. Because of him. A small part of Sho's mind argued that their deaths were not his fault, that none of this was. Such thoughts were unreasonable.  
Reason hadn't been winning many battles in his head, lately.  
Sho didn't pay attention to his surroundings, nearly walking into a loose privacy screen. He stepped around it...  
And stopped dead in his tracks.  
It was only for an instant, completely unintentional as he took in Cheetara's nude form, as his eyes met hers.  
"JEEZ!" He shouted, embarrassed and blushing furiously as he spun smartly about on his heels. "SORRY! SO SORRY! I... didn't naked you were know in here... Oh, JEEZ!"  
"It's fine," he heard Cheetara say with a chuckle.  
"Umumumum..." Isn't this the part where one of us screams? "I'll... I'lljustgiveyouaminnitBYE!"  
Sho was outside of the infirmary before he even knew it and, though he tried to banish it, the image of her body stayed firmly in the front of his mind.

"Ahhhh..." Mumm-Ra sighed as he watched Mumm-Rana get what had been coming to her since First Earth. "I could almost come to like that boy!" The images in the scrying pool vanished as the orb which contained the Ooze rose from the bubbling sludge.  
Mumm-Ra eyed the now-irridescent sphere critically. The magical energies were, he determined after a span of minutes, at the proper levels. All that remained was a catalyst. With little more than a lazy wave of his right hand, the floor behind him opened. The scraping of stone on stone echoed in the dark tomb chamber as the man-sized gap appeared. From its depths rose an obsidian slab bearing a mummified human body.  
Despite his claims to those foolish enough to find themselves captured in his pyramid, Mumm-Ra never kept prisoners for eternity. Most died, silently screaming as the mystic bandages held them immobile in the twisting labrynth below. Others, by far more unfortunate, found themselves used as subjects of magical experimentation.  
The least fortunate were used as sacrificial objects for dark spells such as this.  
With a tap on the head, the bandages instantly rotted away to reveal the man beneath. Mumm-Ra did not know his name, nor did he recall how he had caught this one. It didn't matter one way or the other.  
The ancient demon priest's spell levitated the still and silent man to hover upright above the orb. The eyes opened, confused and frightened.  
With an evil leer, Mumm-Ra lowered the human. When the feet made contact with the orb, the flesh began to melt into it. He rejoiced in the agonized howls of the human as the orb sucked him in and liquified him to the very bone.  
"Soon, Dyme, you will be reborn," Mumm-Ra cackled as the sacrifice's remaining arm flexed weakly before joining the rest of the body within.

"Sho, really," Cheetara said as they sat in the open air. "You got a good eyeful earlier, I think you can handle the leotard."  
"Sorry," Sho replied, still embarrassed.  
"And for Jaga's sake, stop apologizing!" Cheetara gave him a light tap on the arm. "Does seeing a nude woman really bother you so much?"  
"Well, as far as I know, you're the first I've seen. It was... um... striking..." Sho trailed off as Cheetara began to tremble, hand over her mouth to choke laughter into snickering. Sho felt his face flush at the recurring image of her lithe body. Quickly changing subjects, he asked, "So, who's this Jaga you keep referring to? He sounds important." Cheetara's raised hand was her only response for several moments as she brought her hilarity back under control.  
"On, Thundera," she said in a mostly level tone, "Jaga was the most trusted advisor to Lord Claudis, Lion-O's father."  
"Sounds like a wise man."  
"Wise," Cheetara said, "is certainly right. When Lord Claudis was blinded in one of the worst battles against the Mutants Thundera had ever seen, Jaga assumed many of his duties as Lord of the ThunderCats, including guarding the Sword of Omens."  
"That sounds like a lot of responsibility."  
"Oh, yes. As our convoy of ships left Thundera, the Mutants attacked us en masse." Sho could hear the sadness and rage underscoring Cheetara's words. "Our flagship was the only one to survive. With our engines and navigation disabled, the only planet in range was this one, but it was at the extreme edge of what our ship could handle. As such, we all had to get into suspension capsules to make the trip." Cheetara paused, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Jaga piloted the ship as far as he could before his death. From there, the auto pilot guided our ship down. It gave out just before touchdown, and our ship crashed."  
"I'm..."  
"Say it, and I'll kick you," Cheetara said with a mock glare. Sho swallowed the rest of his apology. "Jaga hasn't left us. His spirit appears to Lion-O whenever his guidance is needed."  
"So that's why they were all so calm when I mentioned that voice in my head," Sho said.  
"Pretty much," Cheetara replied, having been brought up to speed at first light. "We ThunderCats have seen a lot here on Third Earth."  
"Do you, um, like it here?"  
"Third Earth is our home, now," Cheetara replied. "It's nothing like Thundera, but there is a lot of beauty to be seen." The two stared wistfully into the pale blue sky for several moments before Sho spoke.  
"So, do you think there are other Thunderians out there?"  
"Yes, I do, and I believe that one day, we will all come together again."  
"Truth, Justice, Honor, Loyalty," Sho mused. "Sounds like something I could believe in."  
"It's worked for us for thousands of years," Cheetara replied. "Every law the ThunderCat council passed had to adhere to the Code of Thundera." She paused, a pensive look on her face as she studied him.  
"Something on my face?" Sho asked jokingly.  
"Was it you I saw that night?"  
"Huh? What night?"  
"The night you and the ThunderCats rescued us. Tygra told me about how you smashed through all those floors to reach the dungeon. All I remember is a shadow in a dust cloud."  
"Oh. Yeah," Sho replied sheepishly, "that was me."  
"I'm also told you charged into a warzone to carry me to the ThunderTank."  
"Yeah, that's true too." Sho's face grew red yet again.  
"I never got to thank you for that."  
"Hey, you were in pretty bad shape," Sho replied. "Besides, I didn't do it for thanks. I did it because it was right." A smile lit Cheetara's face at that.  
"We'll make a Thunderian out of you yet," She said as the two rose.  
"I didn't know Pumyra was a cosmetic surgeon," Panthro's basso voice said as he approached. "Didn't mean to eavesdrop, but Tygra has called a council session. Sho, you're invited."  
"Okay," Sho said nervously.  
"Don't worry," Panthro said with a chuckle. "You're not in any trouble. Only the kittens can manage that this early in the day."

Here we are again, Sho thought as the assembled ThunderCats took their seats at the round table. Sho stood off to the side, feeling as though he had no place among them. His eyes met Bengali's for a moment, then broke away before he could read the tiger's gaze. Their confrontation still angered him, though when he looked at WilyKit, who was chatting with her brother, a knife of guilt pierced his heart.  
I really don't have a place here, he thought with no small measure of regret. As he glanced at each cat-like face, a sense of alienation stole over him. He didn't, *couldn't*, belong with the ThunderCats. His decision was made. As soon as their strength was restored, he would leave them. Mumm-Rana's last words echoed in Sho's mind as Tygra called the meeting to order.  
Maybe, he thought, I don't belong on Third Earth at all...  
"We have little time," Tygra began somberly. "We must retrieve our equipment from the remains of Cat's Lair. Ordinarily, I wouldn't opt for such drastic measures, but we have no clue as to the status of Mumm-Ra or the Mutant Army. Sho."  
"Yeah?" An image of the ruins of Cat's Lair flickered to life on the main viewscreen. "Your task will be to clear the rubble from the hangars. From the data I have, your sonic weapon should be sufficient."  
"I understand," Sho replied, his voice even.  
"Lion-O and Panthro will accompany the two of us to the Lair. Panthro has informed me that the ThunderClaw is fully repaired."  
"Our supply of Thundrillium modules is almost exhausted," Panthro added for the benefit of the Council. "We have enough for the ThunderClaw, and the two outrigger pods for the ThunderStrike. We'll use those to help lift the Lair's paws. I'm pretty sure the hand crank is too badly damaged."  
"Everyone else is to remain and help the Tuskas finish digging in their forces," Lion-O said. "Jaga willing, we should return by nightfall at the latest with the equipment we need. From there, we can begin to hunt for food to replinish our dwindling supplies." The relief around the table was palpable.  
"If there are no questions," Tygra said, "then Council is adjourned."  
Sho watched the ThunderCats rise from their seats. Tygra, Lion-O, and Panthro strode over to Sho, each wearing a look of grim determination.  
"I hope this works, Tygra," Panthro said.  
"So do I. It's our only real chance."  
"I'll meet you outside," Sho said as the three ThunderCats neared him. "I need room to change..."  
"You're riding with me in the ThunderClaw," Lion-O said as the four exited the control room and turned for the hangar. Tygra cut him off when Sho opened his mouth to object.  
"As I told you last night," the Tyger said, "you will learn our laws, customs, and technology. You can't depend of the Guyver for everything."  
"I got it," Sho replied.  
"But, don't think I'll be teaching you to drive the ThunderTank," Panthro said with a grin. "You're already a two-legged tank."  
I know, Sho thought. Believe me, I know.

Mumm-Ra could scarcely hide his glee when the orb split along the middle and the runny slop slid out. The irridescent puddle gathered on the cold stone of the tomb chamber's floor and began to slowly rise from the epicenter. Arms split off from the rising goo as the form rapidly took shape with legs separating from the column which supported the upper half. Finally, the glowing slime faded to reveal a bald, portly man. His head rose, deep black eyes staring into the red gaze of the ancient demon priest. Hands began to carress every inch of magically-restored flesh, pure delight glowing on his fleshy face.  
"I... am restored!" Dyme howled joyously.  
"Indeed you are," Mumm-Ra said with indulgence. "Now for some suitable attire. I do not wish to gaze upon your nakedness any longer than I have to." With a mere wave of his hand, Mumm-Ra caused a black leotard to materialize on Dyme's restored body. The shoulders were white, lines extending down his arms and legs.  
"Just like what I wore while serving Kronos," Dyme gasped. He looked up at Mumm-Ra, his eyes worshipful. "My master," he said, "I give you my most enthusiastic obedience." Mumm-Ra roared with laughter for several moments as Dyme genuflected on the floor.  
"Gyeh-hahhahahaha!" Mumm-Ra roared. "Do not think this is all, Dyme."  
"Master?" Dyme asked.  
"I shall craft another to help you serve me," Mumm-Ra explained as an altar bearing a large mummified body rose from the floor behind him.  
"Another zoanoid?" The black abyss of Dyme's eyes grew wide in amazement.  
"Zoanoid?"  
"Of course, Master," Dyme explained. "The process I went through during Second Earth transformed me into a zoanoid. I am no more human than the ThunderCats, despite my being a Lost Number."  
Mumm-Ra paused for a moment, sligtly confused. The Ancient Spirits of Evil hadn't told him anything about zoanoids or Kronos. A hideous grin quirked his cracked lips as the realization dawned on him. Here was a prime source of information about Second Earth, and the weapons that had been created during the Reign of Man.  
"I see, Dyme," Mumm-Ra said at length. "You shall explain all of this to me in due time. For now, I have work to do."  
"Yes, Master."  
Mumm-Ra trod to the new altar which had risen from the depths of the Black Pyramid. Yet another poor soul to have wandered into his labrynth lay bound and preserved in the mystic bandages which fell away at Mumm-Ra's touch. The brown eyes snapped open instantly, his muscular frame struggling against the magics that held him still.  
"Ahh... Still fresh," Mumm-Ra quipped as his gnarled hands came to rest against the human's torso. He felt the man's soul as his spell slithered through the flesh, that quintessence struggling against the unnatural pull of evil magic. Soul sacrifices were trickier than simple rites of blood, but all the more rewarding for it.  
"Come now to me," he whispered in a profane mantra as the soul struggled in his mystical grip. Its struggles were in vain, however, as Mumm-Ra pulled it from its mortal shell. At his whispered incantation, the soul rose to the central point of the four statues and faded away with a mournful scream.  
"We are most pleased with your sacrifice," the Ancient Spirits of Evil spoke, "What favor do you seek from us, Mumm-Ra?"  
"Retrieve for me the soul of the ThunderCat betrayer," Mumm-Ra said. "Bring me the soul of Grune the Destroyer!" The soul of the former ThunderCat appeared with little delay, translucent and immaterial.  
"Why have you brought me here?" Grune's spirit asked.  
"I have need of you, Grune," Mumm-Ra said. "It is my hope that you will be more useful to me in the flesh than in spirit. I have not forgotten your failure against the ghost of Jaga."  
"Your point?"  
"Curb your tongue, Thunderian," Mumm-Ra warned. "I can easily send you back to the hells to which your last failure condemned you."  
"Very well," Grune replied.  
"This soulless form you see," Mumm-Ra explained, indicating the still-breathing body on the altar, "is your new body."  
"You expect me to inhabit that?" Grune asked, incredulous.  
"I shall re-shape that body, complete with your freak immunity to Thundrainium."  
"And for the purpose of slaughtering the ThunderCats, no doubt."  
"You are indeed observant," Mumm-Ra cackled. "You and Dyme are to be my right and left hands, with which the ThunderCats will be crushed!"  
"You mean that human?" Grune's ghost asked.  
"Correct. Your main focus will be the ThunderCats. Dyme shall aid you, though his enemy is known as Sho."  
"Sho?"  
"You have met another of his kind. Another Guyver."  
"The one in black armor," Grune mused. "That is the word he shouted. There is another?!"  
"Indeed. The one who dismembered you is beyond my sight, but another is on Third Earth, and is aiding the ThunderCats."  
"And what can that fat lump of shit do to aid me against him?"  
"More than you think!" Dyme roared.  
"Settle down," Mumm-Ra commanded. Dyme took a step back, but still glared at Grune. "Dyme has powers that can ensure that Guyver is not an obstacle for you. After all, do you want anyone else to split Lion-O's skull but you?"  
"Very well," Grune said. "Do what you must."  
The process went quickly. As Grune's soul entered the human body, Mumm-Ra's magic caused empty shell to conform to the spirit which now inhabited it. Within moments, Grune the Destroyer stood once more in the flesh. Mumm-Ra uttered a spell in a long-dead tongue, and a spiked club of pure Thundrainium appeared in Grune's right hand.  
"Still missing a tooth," Grune muttered as he hefted his new club. "But, I can't complain."  
"Good. Now, we must be off," Mumm-Ra said. "We have an army of Mutants to bring to heel."

"Bengali!" Pumyra shouted as the white Tyger neared the door to the hangar. Her lover turned about with a resigned look that confirmed Pumyra's suspicions. "Did you have it out with Sho?" A frustrated sigh blew between his teeth before he answered.  
"That's what it became," Bengali said. "I wish I could say I didn't want that."  
"What did you say to each other?" Pumyra asked with a hand on his shoulder.  
"Sho... accepted blame for all of this," he began, "Somehow, that only made me angrier. I... told him about WilyKit's reaction when Analee told us about Willa and Nayda." Pumyra gasped at his statement.  
"Bengali..."  
"I asked around later," he said, "it turns out that, when Sho awoke in the Treetop Kingdom, Willa and Nayda, along with Analee, were the ones who nursed him back to health. He took it... pretty hard."  
"Gee, I wonder why?" Pumyra asked sarcastically, a scowl on her face. "Bengali, how could you? None of this is Sho's fault, and here you go rubbing his nose in it!"

So THAT'S why Sho kept looking away from me, WilyKit thought as she listened to Bengali apologizing to Pumyra. She crouched around the far corner from where Pumyra was laying into Bengali and felt her own anger at him rise. From the way Pumyra was letting him have it, she decided that her own two cents weren't needed.  
He knew them, too, she thought. Maybe not well, but enough for their deaths to hurt him.

"When they get back..."  
"I know," Bengali said, chastened.  
"I love you, you know that, but you can't let your temper get the best of you," Pumyra said as she slid her arms about his waist.  
"This situation," Bengali said as he inhaled the scent of her, "it's just gotten everyone on edge." Neither of them noticed the shadow at the corner slip quietly away.

Lion-O's gaze hardened at the sight of Cat's Lair lying in ruin. Their home, their culture, what symbolized Thundera was left as little more than a pile of rubble. The sight of it was no easier to take than that first fateful day. He eased the ThunderClaw down as he brought his anger back under control.  
"You remember what I told you?" Lion-O asked.  
"Yeah," Sho replied. "See you on the ground!" With those words, Sho rose from the seat behind Lion-O. He eased himself over to the edge of the vehicle before leaping out into space. The Lord of the ThunderCats jerked the ThunderClaw sharply up, keeping his eyes on the rapidly falling Sho.  
"GUYVER!" At the boy's shout, the sound of violently displaced air and energy thundered and the armor quickly encased the falling boy. Fully transformed, Lion-O watched Sho right himself in time to land gently on the Lair's left paw.  
"Nice landing," Panthro's voice said over the comm system. "I give it a ten."  
"So far so good, Panthro," Tygra's voice replied. "Let's just hope the rest of this plan goes as smoothly."

Sho stared at the enormous slabs of stone which covered the rear of the hangar paws. This had to be done with exact precision, Tygra had made that abundantly clear.  
Here's hoping I don't fuck this up, Sho thought as he engaged the sonic buster on his faceplate. He focused on the largest slab as the tightly focused sound waves hammered into the offending object. Finally, cracks shot through the stone a millisecond before it shattered.  
Got the frequency, Sho thought, Now to clear this off.

"One is near you," TugMug's voice said over the comm link. "Do it!"  
"Ooohhh... help me..." Chilla moaned as she lay in the tall grass. She ignored the uncomfortable temperature as best she was able as she cried out in feigned agony.  
"Is someone there?" she heard a young boy ask.  
"Over... here..." You stupid brat! "Ooohhh... my leg..."  
"Hold on, I'm coming!"  
"Hurts..." Chilla moaned. Oh, she would make Luna pay for having her lie in the grass! "Please help me..." The tall grasses of the Plains of Fertility rustled as the boy came nearer. Chilla looked up as the boy emerged. She made sure to look as pathetic as she could as the boy drew near her. "Oh, thank you," she said with a snarl. His blue eyes widened in shock just before TugMug burst forth to tackle him. Chilla bolted over to the struggling pair in time to wedge a length of cloth into his mouth and tie it behind his head while TugMug secured the hands. Silenced and trussed, the struggling boy mewled behind the gag as TugMug hoisted him over a shoulder.  
"Head for the rendevouz point," TugMug said as he bounded up into the sky.

"That's fine, Sho," Tygra's voice said from the wrist communicator. The great chunks of stone had been reduced to mere gravel in the space of an hour, leaving the paws unencumbered. "Begin phase two."  
"On it," Sho replied as he floated down to the front of the left paw. Chains clanked as they dropped from the hovering vehicles, each with a claw-shaped hook at the end. Sho dutifully hooked each chain to the lower part of the paw and, once secured, the chains grew taut.  
Why don't I help things along? he thought as the sound of straining engines filled the air. The paw slowly inched upward as the three flying machines pulled for all they were worth. Sho seized a handhold beneath the raising paw and commanded the gravity controller to push him upward. As he did so, he forced his arms upward with every iota of strength the armor could give him.  
"Come... on... you... bastard!" he grunted as the shriek of grinding metal filled his ears. Their combined efforts were rewarded with the hangar opening steadily until the paw stood at a forty-five degree angle. The chains grew slack again as Sho wrenched the claw hooks free of their moorings.  
The opposite hangar moved with the same difficulty as the first. On freeing the grappling chains, Sho set down on the ruined courtyard of the Lair just as he spied the manual release for the bridge. The mechanism worked without a hitch, he was surprised to discover, as the bridge extended smoothly to the other side of the moat.  
"Nicely done, Sho!" Tygra's cheer sounded from the wrist comm. "We're landing now."  
"Standing by," Sho said as he willed the Guyver to leave him. The transition between the armor's enhanced senses and his own was jarring as the two pods of the ThunderStrike and the ThunderClaw landed at the opposite end of the bridge. Lion-O, Panthro, and Tygra all charged across the bridge as Sho neared the hangar bay to his left.  
"Hellloooo BEAUTIFUL!" Panthro shouted as he ran his hands along the outer hull of the Feliner.  
"If it isn't nailed down," Lion-O shouted, "grab it! If it is nailed down, rip it up! Let's move!"

Mumm-Ra stood at the edge of the scrying pool, Dyme and Grune on each side of his withered frame, as the images of the Lunattaks cycled within its depths.  
"What are they up to?" Grune asked, intrigued.  
"An ambush, you dolt," Dyme snapped. "Heh, they obviously haven't challenged a Guyver before."  
"Hmph," was Grune's only reply.  
"We all know how that can end," Mumm-Ra grumbled. "Still this should put the Lunattaks in their place. Nice of the boy to save me the trouble."  
"The Mutant Army can wait," Grune said as the image shifted to the ThunderCats and Sho hurriedly stuffing the vehicles with everything they could. "Besides, this should be entertaining."

"That's everything!" Panthro shouted as Sho joined him in the Feliner's cockpit, the other aireal vehicles having been stuffed to capacity. "Lion-O, Tygra, take off!" Before we get ambushed, the panther added silently.  
"Still has that new-vehicle smell," he mused as his fingers flew across the control panel. The engines hummed as each system flared to life. Various navigation and weapons control programs indicated that the Feliner was ready and raring to go.  
"They're away," Sho said as the other three vehicles, the second pod of the ThunderStrike under autopilot, rose slowly skyward.  
"And, so are we," Panthro replied as the hum of the engines grew to a low roar. "Right NOW!" The explosive thrust hammered the pair back into their seats as the Feliner rapidly gained momentum. Sweat beaded on Panthro's brow as the edge of the river which had once separated Cat's Lair from the rest of the land around raced closer.  
"Come on... come on..." His hands tightened on the control yoke as he yanked it violently back. The Feliner's nose lurched up as its wheels abruptly parted company with the ground. "YYEEEAAAHHH!" Panthro roared in delight as the large aircraft gained altitude.  
"Um... no offense, Panthro," Sho said, slightly green, "but I prefer my method of flying."  
"Ah, where's your sense of adventure?" Panthro kidded, playfully smacking Sho on the shoulder.  
"I think I left it with my stomach back there," Sho deadpanned, rubbing the spot where Panthro had tapped him.  
"Well, the rest of the flight oughtta be smooth."  
"Hope you didn't just jinx us."  
Panthro remained silent, thinking the same.

"Someone's coming, rrwl," Snarf said as the monitor displayed the figure, mounted atop a unicorn, pounding desperately across the desert for the Tower of Omens.  
"Checking," Cheetara said in a clipped voice as she enhanced the image. Bewilderment settled over her at the sight of an old human woman astride the charging beast. "What in Jaga's name is she doing, running that unicorn so hard?"  
"Shnarrf, that's Analee!" Snarf exclaimed. "She's the Warrior Maiden's healer! Why's she coming here?"  
"She looks desperate," Cheetara said as she rose from the controls. "I'd best see what's gotten her so worked up." She jogged out of the control chamber, slowly as she minded her still injured condition, and still made the grounds just as Analee brought the unicorn to a halt.  
"Analee!" WilyKit cried in delight as she ran to the woman as she dismounted. "What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly very worried at the terrified look on her weathered face.  
"Thunder... Cats..." she panted as two Tuskas tended to the exhausted animal. "Help, please!"  
"Certainly," Cheetara said as the older woman grasped her arm with surprising strength.  
"What's happening?" Bengali asked as he, Lynx-O, and Pumyra dropped what they had been doing and ran over to the gathering crowd.  
"One of our scouts saw a Lunattak creature bounding away from our camp," she began, her voice tight. "He had one of our young captive!"  
"Son of a bitch," Bengali cursed.  
"Young Kora," Analee began, "he's in terrible danger!"  
"Bengali, we met him..."  
"I know," the white Tyger said, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.  
"Snarrrfer, shnarrfer, come quick!" The gathered ThunderCats whirled in surprise as Snarfer bolted toward them. "The Lunattaks have ambushed the others!"

"Damn it all!" Panthro roared as another blast rocked the Feliner. The Ice Runner streaked past, Red Eye at its controls. "Tygra, Lion-O, status!"  
"We're too weighed down!" Lion-O's voice replied instantly. "We can't out-maneuver Red Eye!"  
"Can't out-run him, either!" Tygra's voice added. "We can't afford to lose these supplies!"  
"Panthro," Sho said, staring at him meaningfully. Panthro briefly considered the options, then nodded curtly. "Keep him off us! Move!" Sho said nothing as he released his safety harness and bolted to the rear of the Feliner.

Sho charged through the narrow walkway afforded by the stacks of equipment and tools toward the rear door of the Feliner. Another burst of laser fire shook the aircraft, causing the stacks to tremble violently. Sho pushed on as the rear door opened and flung himself out into space. Air roared in his ears as the ground spun in a dizzying spiral to meet him.  
"GUYVAAAAAARRGH!" The bolt of energy caught him square in the back, sending him into unconsciousness.

A feral grin stretched TugMug's lips as he bounded upward to grab the falling boy. The weight was negligible as he reached the apogee of his leap in time for the Ice Runner to glide beneath him.  
"Good catch!" Red Eye grunted as TugMug took his place in the rear seat.  
"Take us up!" TugMug shouted. "I want to salute our enemies!" Red Eye obliged, bringing the Ice Runner level to the Feliner. "Eat us, shit kickers!" he roared in delight, the middle finger of his left hand fully extended. Red Eye followed suit, howling with mirth as they escaped with their unconscious captive.  
"If he wakes up before we meet Alluro," Red Eye said, "whap him a good one!"  
"Just shut up and fly!"

"DAMNIT!" Lion-O roared as the Lunattaks streaked into the distance. He forced his whirling thoughts to slow as he evaluated his options. "Damage report!"  
"Light damage on all aircraft," Panthro said over the comm. "They weren't trying to shoot us down."  
"Sho was their target," Tygra growled. "And now they have him."  
"Can we catch them?" Lion-O roared. It was Panthro who answered.  
"Loaded down like this? Not a chance in hell."  
"Lion-O, your orders?" Tygra asked.  
"If we can't catch them, there's no need to burn the Thundrillium. We'll head back to the Tower as planned. I'll signal ahead and tell them to get the main section of the ThunderStrike ready."  
"We're going in for a rescue," Panthro said.  
"Right. There's only one reason why the Lunattaks would want to kidnap Sho. Better we deal with this on Darkside than in front of the Tower."  
"Got it," Panthro said.

"ThunderClaw to Tower of Omens, come in!"  
"Lynx-O here. We are preparing..."  
"Forget it," Lion-O replied over the comm. "Their objective was to kidnap Sho, and they succeeded."  
"They got him, shnaarrf," Snarf said. "HOW!?"  
"They blasted him as he left the Feliner to hold them off. He didn't have his armor on."  
"Well, I'll give you three guesses why they wanted him," WilyKat said.  
"Yeah, and the first two don't count!" his sister finished.  
"What would you have us do?" Cheetara asked. She fought down the irrational surge of fear she felt at such news.  
"We'll arrive in roughly ten minutes. Lynx-O will pilot the main section of the ThunderStrike through the chasm to Darkside. Bengali and Pumyra will join us."  
"Understood," Lynx-O said, reaching for his portable Braille Board.  
"Panthro and Tygra will remain at the Tower. Once the ThunderStrike is refueled, they will begin repairs on our other vehicles."  
"It's a sure bet that Sho will meet Alluro," Cheetara said. "Are you sure you wouldn't want to face him here? The Tower's defenses are in place."  
"And Sho could blast through them without any trouble," Lion-O's voice replied. "If we can rescue him before the Lunattaks use him to spearhead an attack, then we will. If we wait for them to bring him to us, the loss of life will be staggering."  
You're really growing up, Lion-O, Cheetara thought.  
"Okay. We'll be ready when you arrive. There is, however, one thing you should know."  
"All ears, Cheetara."  
"The Lunattaks have abducted a young boy from the Warrior Maiden's camp," Cheetara said. "Expect them to use him against you as well."  
"A damn hostage," Panthro's voice spat. "They planned this one well."  
"We'll have to deal with it," Lion-O's voice said. "Have everything ready. Lion-O out."

In the next episode:  
Alluro hypnotizes Sho, yet has reservastions about the plan to use him against the ThunderCats. Lion-O, Bengali, Pumyra, and Lynx-O rush to Darkside to rescue Sho and Kora, only to find themselves forced to face the Guyver. Will they be able to snap Sho out of Alluro's trance, or will they have to do battle with the most powerful weapon Third Earth has ever seen? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight. 


	12. Backfire

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Twelve

Sho screamed into the gag as he beheld the strange people which surrounded him. To his right was a young boy bound as he was, fear shining in his cornflower eyes.

"You can't win," said the tall one as the emerald sphere atop his club settled over Sho's head. "You don't stand a chance..."

Sho felt his willpower fail as the words echoed in his head incessantly. His muted screams for the Guyver faded as apathy stole over him.

He's hypnotizing me, Sho thought as lethargy overwhelmed him. Damned if he...isn't

"You don't stand a chance..."

"Mm Mmnt Mtd MM Mmse."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Sho couldn't move as the hypnotic suggesion took deep root. The gag was removed. Sho couldn't care.

"I don't stand a chance."

"Good job, Alluro!" Luna screeched. "Back to Skytomb!"

"Yeah," Chilla said. "For once you did something right!"

"Hmmm..." Alluro shook his head.

"All is ready," Lynx-O said as Lion-O charged over to the main part of the ThunderStrike. He kept his face a stone mask, hiding as best as he was able the unease that fluttered in his stomach. He knew exactly what he was leading this group of ThunderCats into, and didn't like it one bit. If anything went wrong with this hasty rescue mission, Alluro wouldn't hesitate to have a fully-entranced Sho rip them limb from limb.

"What's the plan?" Bengali asked as he turned to face Lion-O. That his fingers brushed with Pumyra's went unnoticed as the aircraft lifted from the hangar floor and raced to the still-open door.

"The Lunattaks likely won't have Sho change until they bring him to kick in our front door," Lion-O replied, "If we can knock him out while he's still human, we'll break Alluro's hold over him." The ThunderStrike cleared the hangar and roared skyward toward Darkside.

"And if we can't?" Pumyra asked evenly.

"Then Jaga help us all," Lion-O said gravely.

Bengali stared directly ahead as the vista of Third Earth streaked by. What he had feared had come true. Could they stand up to Sho's firepower, especially with the Lunattaks backing him? Bengali didn't look down when he felt Pumyra's fingers intwine with his own, he just returned the comforting grip.

No matter what, he thought, I will protect you, my love.

Pumyra drew strength from the feel of Bengali's hand locked in her own. She knew what she was following the Lord of the ThunderCats into, and despite herself was afraid. She knew how powerful the boy Sho was, and knew that they could all be racing toward their deaths. Pumyra didn't glance at Bengali as she drank in the love that radiated from his touch. She would defend him, no matter what.

Lynx-O focused on flying the ThunderStrike as the chasm which was the only safe passage into Darkside drew rapidly closer. He didn't allow himself to feel any fear, he had experienced far too much to let it get to him. Either they would succeed, or they would fail. The creed of the Lynx clan of Thundera was that simple. He had the utmost faith in his friends, Lion-O, and the Eye of Thundera, but if fate decided against them, then that was that.

None of the other ThunderCats noticed as he programmed the TunderStrike to record the fight and, if worse came to worst, return to the Tower of Omens on autopilot. If nothing else, the others would have at least some warning.

Lion-O stood stock still as scenarios, mostly horrible, ran through his mind. Sho in the hands of a group of the most dangerous enemies the ThunderCats had ever faced. A superweapon was now in the Lunattaks' control, waiting to be turned on the remnants of Thundera.

Sho is a friend, Lion-O thought. I'll do all I can for him. He didn't allow himself to feel any fear. As Lord of the ThunderCats, he could never have that luxury. The entrance to Darkside passed by in a blur as he steadied himself against the back of Lynx-O's seat. The point of no return had been passed. For better or worse, he had to make this work.

"This is just so damn odd," Alluro said as he circled the docile Sho. "It's just not right."

"What's not right?" TugMug asked. "He seems pretty under to me."

"The link's not there," Alluro replied, troubled.

"What link?" Chilla asked as she ran a hand across Sho's abdomen. "You're about as psychic as my left boot!"

"If you could keep your lecherous urges in check," Alluro replied, "I mean that the psychic hook my psych club gives me isn't there!"

"You mean you don't have this boy under control?" Luna shrieked in a voice that was nearly enough to make Alluro's ears bleed.

"On the contrary," Alluro said, insulted, "Sho, stand on one foot." The boy immediately lifted his left leg into the air and stood on only his right. "My hypnotic suggestion is firmly in place, but..."

"But nothing!" Luna screeched. She didn't look at the human boy they had kidnapped as he cringed in TugMug's grip. "We have a weapon that can take the Sword of Omens, then turn around and kick it up Lion-O's self-righteous ass sideways!"

"Looks like we have a chance to do that!" Red Eye shouted as he examined one of SkyTomb's control panels. "The ThunderStrike is coming!"

"I knew it," Luna groused. "Oh, well, a dry run can't hurt. Everyone outside! Time the ThunderCats got a taste of our new power!"

Lion-O charged to where the Lunattaks were waiting, knowing that the element of surprise was already lost. He came up short when he saw them all staring at him with undisguised malice. Amok stood to Sho's right with Luna on the beast's shoulders. To his left were Chilla, Red Eye, and Alluro. TugMug stood just behind a frightened Kora.

"Don't even think of touching that sword," Luna screeched before Lion-O could reach for it. He spied TugMug off to his right, a gleaming knife held close the the throat of the trembling boy.

"Do it," the Lunattak urged. "I'll give this kid a huge grin." The knife slid softly across Kora's exposed throat. "Ear-to-ear." The boy's eyes squeezed shut in terror, a muffled whimper sounding through the cruel gag.

"Bastards," Lion-O cursed. He heard Kora's muted screams, and his heart tried to rip itself in half. Lion-O eased his hand away from the hilt of the Sword of Omens. Sho stood stock still in the midst of sworn enemies, uncaring about what his blank eyes saw.

"Lion-O," Bengali whipsered in his ear. "We must handle Sho first."

"I know," Lion-O whispered back. He locked eyes with each Lunattak in turn, seeing only smugness and cruelty.

"Screw this," Luna said, safely atop Amok. "Alluro, DO IT!"

"Sho," Alluro commanded, "transform!"

"Guyver!" Sho cried. The energy field enveloped Sho as the armor appeared and merged with the human. Sho, fully transformed, stood before the ThunderCats and Lunattaks. He did not move as the Control Medal glowed brilliantly.

"Draw your weapons, if you want," Chilla said with a malicious rictus twisting her face. "It won't do you any good, but it should be entertaining!"

Obey... obey... obey...

The words repeated in Sho's brain, a mantra that he could not resist. He looked at the group of ThunderCats, seeing them as only a Guyver could. Around each Sho saw an aura of brightly glowing energy; heat, bioelecticity, strength, all in a rapidly shifting patina of colors.

Obey...

Why should I? he asked himself as the hypnotic command rapidly lost its strength. He swam up from the depths of his mind as the control medal beckoned to him. The repeated suggestion faded into nothingness as Sho looked closely at the ThunderCats. Their gazes were locked on him, determined yet... uncertain? Yes, that was it.

"Now, Sho," he heard a familiar, arrogant voice command, "kill them all!"

Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens in a flash, braced against Sho's first attack. The Guyver merely stood in place, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"Didn't you hear me?!" Alluro shrieked. "I said kill them!" Sho took a hesitant step forward as the medallion on his head glowed brighter. Twin jets of gas escaped the vents on his faceplate as the brilliant light faded.

"Lion-O?" The Lord of the ThunderCats relaxed a little at that. "Where the hell are we? And why am I wearing this thing?!" A grin settled on Lion-O's face as Sho studied his armor in obvious confusion. "What's going on?"

"Good to have you back," Lion-O said as Sho drew closer.

"You may wish to turn around," Lynx-O said calmly.

"Huh?" Sho said as he faced back. The gathered Lunattaks all stared in shock at him, and Sho's mind fully righted itself at the sight of the one called Alluro.

"You," Sho snarled. Alluro recoiled in surprise before swinging his club and sending the orb at its tip toward him. The laser in his helmet fired before it could complete the trip, shattering it in a cloud of dust and tiny fragments.

"You son of a bitch!" Alluro cried as his psych club was rendered useless.

"You're one to talk!" Pumyra shouted.

"Hold, boy!" Luna screeched as she glared daggers at Sho. "Like it or not, you're still going to kill the ThunderCats for us!"

"I don't see how," Sho replied, his voice cold and hard.

"Then take a look over here!" Sho did so and felt his heart skip a beat. TugMug held the razor-keen steel to the young boy's throat, a tiny bead of blood swelling at its tip. "Either you skin us some cats, or this one dies!"

"HO!" Sho saw the burst of sapphire energy from the Sword of Omens strike TugMug's hand. The Lunattak jerked the offending appendage away, the knife spinning safely away. Sho wasted no time charging over and grabbing the trembling boy. The battle began in earnest as he raced to the ThunderStrike and dropped him within.

"Stay here!" Sho shouted as he ran to join his friends. He had no time to register any surprise at that notion.

Cheetara hated the feeling of helplessness that stole over her as she stared at the main viewscreen. Even though she was on the mend, she felt she should have gone with them into Darkside. Not knowing, not being able to at least see the battle, put her nerves on edge. The fact that they were going up against the Guyver made it exponentially worse.

I shouldn't worry, she told herself ineffectively. Lion-O has the Eye to protect him. The others, though relatively inexperienced as ThunderCats, are certainly no slouches in battle.

But what if...?

Ever since the Mutant Army arrived and had beaten them so soundly in that surprise attack, everything seemed skewed. Despite the horrors she had seen in her youth, and in her time as a ThunderCat on Thundera, she had faith that good would always win out in the end. But since the Guyver arrived...

No. None of this is Sho's fault. Without him, the Mutants would have already won. Lion-O will find a way to win. He always does.

Please, Jaga, she prayed, bring him back to me. Bring them all back safely.

"I'm nervous, too," WilyKit said, stopping at her side. Cheetara smiled and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"They'll come back," WilyKat said as he came to her opposite side. His voice carried a small note of fear beneath the bravado. "Wait and see."

"They will," Cheetara said with more confidence than she felt.

Pumyra dodged a burst of freezing breath which left a coating of ice on the rocks where she had been standing. Her sling shot out, the burst ball narrowly missing Chilla's head.

"BITCH!" the Lunattak shouted as she lunged. The two women collided in a tangle of limbs on the rocky ground as each tried to gain the advantage. "I'll... tear your throat out!"

"Not on your *best* day!" Pumyra growled as she kicked Chilla off of her. With a graceful flip, she regained her feet in time to see Chilla racing toward her again.

Oh, no you don't, Pumyra thought as she ducked in low and landed a lunging punch in Chilla's stomach. The blue-skinned woman grunted in surprised pain before a right cross from the ThunderCat connected with her temple. Pumyra stepped back, shaking her now-sore hand.

"Me one, you zero," she said, satisfied as Chilla hit the ground in a limp heap.

Sho charged toward the battle between Lynx-O and the hulking Lunattak Red-Eye when one of his sensor medallions jerked backward too late to prevent Amok from slamming into his back. Immensely powerful arms encircled his torso and easily hoisted him off of the ground.

"Amok has you! Amok has you!" his idiot voice grumbled in simple-minded glee.

You wanna bet? Sho thought as he reached up to where the arms linked across his chest. On grasping the fleshy appendages, Sho squeezed sharply and was rewarded with the sound of bone cracking and Amok's agonized scream in his ear. The huge Lunattak let go and fell back howling. Sho spun on the spot, grasping the front of Amok's outfit and twisting hard about. Amok's feet parted ways with the rocky soil as Sho flung him toward Lynx-O and Red-Eye's position.

The violent disturbances of air were all Lynx-O needed to dodge gracefully around Red-Eye's lumbering assaults as well as keep tabs on how the other ThunderCats were faring in their own battles.

"I see everything," Red-Eye's voice taunted as Lynx-O leapt over another of the Lunattak's spinning discs. "You see nothing!"

"I do not need eyes," Lynx-O replied sagely as he ducked a punch from Red-Eye, "in order to smell you."

"You think you're funny, do you?"

"Since you are so proud of your vision, here is something to get an eyeful of." With split-second timing, Lynx-O's light disc unfurled and sent a burst of illumination directly into his foe's bulging eyes.

"DAMN YOU!" Red-Eye screamed just before the sound of something slamming into his back hammered the air. Lynx-O grinned at the mental image of Amok and Red-Eye that his super-sharp senses generated.

"Now that sounded painful," Lynx-O quipped.

Alluro skulked around the edge of the battlefield as the ThunderCats were summarily beating the hell out of the other Lunattaks, glaring furiously at the armored boy as he tossed Amok like a toy ball.

You ruined my psych club, bastard! he thought as he neared the ThunderStrike. It'll take me *months* to build another!

Alluro spared a glance at the three-sided battle between Lion-O, Bengali, and TugMug. The grotesque Lunattak was bounding about the battlefield with abandon, taking potshots at the two ThunderCats with his gravity carbine all the while. As long as he could keep them busy...

Lion-O dodged another burst from TugMug before bringing the Sword to bear and firing another lance of energy. The blue bolt grazed TugMug's shoulder, but it was enough to throw off the Lunattak's trajectory. TugMug landed awkwardly, allowing Bengali time to fire an energy beam from his hammer which hit him square in the chest.

The Lord of the ThunderCats wasted no time, rushing in headlong and swinging the Sword of Omens in a glowing arc which severed the gravity carbine's barrel. A quick left with the claw shield slammed home in TugMug's hideous face and rendered him unconscious.

Alluro looked into the ThunderStrike to see the still-bound boy curled into a fetal position on the floor. With a smile that held no joy, Alluro reached in and snatched him off the floor. His scream of fear was muffled by the gag that was still in place as Alluro threw him onto the ground.

"At least something will go as planned today!" he roared as the tip of his club streaked toward the terrified boy's chest...

"Oh, Jaga, NO!" Pumyra screamed as Alluro's club began its descent. Her heart froze in her breast as she realized she was too far away, that...

Lion-O turned in the direction of Pumyra's horrified stare, unable to believe what he was seeing. He raised the Sword of Omens, knowing full well he would be too late, when something blurred past with enough force to blow his hair about his head.

Alluro's bloodcurdling scream split the heavens when the armored hand clenched around his wrist with enough force to stop it cold. Sho glared down at the Lunattak as he instantly and mercilessly crushed every bone in the wrist, the bludgeon falling to the ground with a clatter.

"Leave him alone, you son of a BITCH!" Sho snarled as he wrenched Alluro back away from the prone boy. He cocked his other arm back before swinging the fist into Alluro's stomach like a rocket. The Lunattak flew back over the ThunderCats' heads and came to a skidding stop twenty feet away, moaning piteously and vomiting blood.

"You deserved that," Bengali spat as he turned in disgust from Alluro's twitching and groaning form.

"Well, done, Sho," Lion-O said with a nod.

"Thanks," he replied before crouching down in front of Kora. "Hey, why don't I help you with that?" Kora, for his part, merely scuttled backward as best he was able with a terrified look on his face. Disappointed, Sho rose to his feet as Pumyra knelt behind Kora and began to undo the knot. "Guess I should get used to that," he said softly.

"Sho," Pumyra said when Kora's hands were freed and the gag was removed, "the armor? It may be a bit much for him."

"Oh, right." The Guyver left him, vanishing into wherever it went when not in use. "That better, little guy?" he tried with a disarming smile. Kora's only response was to climb into Pumyra's gentle arms and look back at him in fear.

"He's just had a rough day," Sho said as the other ThunderCats drew near, ashamed at the fear he saw in Kora's eyes.

"It hasn't been a picnic for the rest of us, either," Bengali said as the group headed toward the ThunderStrike. "Listen, Sho, about this morning..."

"Don't worry about it," Sho replied, embarrassed. "I was out of line, too."

"Let bygones be bygones, then," Bengali said with a smile and an extended hand.

"Water under the bridge," Sho said, accepting the larger hand and grinning. "You're pretty good with that hammer, y'know?" Bengali twirled the weapon in his hand before blowing across the barrel of the laser in its head and sheathing it at his hip. Sho doubled over in hysterics, drawing puzzled looks from the others as Bengali joined him.

"Sorry... sorry..." Sho gasped.

"Shnarrfer, they're coming back!" Snarfer cried as the Cat's Eye showed the main section of the ThunderStrike bursting from the chasm to Darkside.

"Did they do it?" Analee asked nervously as Cheetara hailed the aircraft.

"Tower of Omens to ThunderStrike," she said evenly, "please respond."

"Lynx-O here," his jubilant voice replied. "All is well. Both Sho and young Kora have been recovered unharmed."

Thank Jaga, she thought. "Understood. Tower out."

"Thank you, ThunderCats," Analee said gratefully. "You don't know how much this means to us Warrior Maidens."

"The sun's almost set," WilyKit offered, "why don't you stay here tonight?"

"Yes," Cheetara said. "Riding at night is rather dangerous, especially on a unicorn."

"Hmmm... That noble beast could use a good rest. Are you sure we wouldn't be putting you out?"

"Not at all!" WilyKit exclaimed.

"Always willing to help out a friend," her brother added.

"I thank you for your generosity, young ones." Her wizened face broke into a wide smile. "Yes, I believe Kora and myself will enjoy your hospitality for a night."

"Yeah!" WilyKit piped up, "They can share our room!"

"Yeah, I don't mind!"

Cheetara tuned out the kitten's discussion as the ThunderStrike drew nearer. She relished the heat that grew within her. It would be tonight. The fear she had felt at the prospect of losing him, and the relief at his return, had galvanized her. Cheetara knew he felt the same for her as she did for him, even if he didn't know how to act upon it.

Get ready, Lion-O, she thought with a sly grin. You've matured so much in the recent weeks, but tonight I'll make a man of you in other ways.

"Welcome back!" Panthro hooted as the ThunderCats and the two humans emerged from the ThunderStrike's central section.

"I take it everything went well?" Tygra asked, smiling.

"You should have *seen* it!" Lion-O exclaimed as he walked over. "Their plan backfired, and we had them on the run so fast..."

"If you'd like," Lynx-O said, "I set the ThunderStrike's sensors to record the battle."

"You did?" Bengali asked, surprised.

"In case of the worst," the old lynx explained, "it would have come back and given warning."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Sho quipped with a smile. "It's cool, I understand."

"Analee!" Kora cried, releasing himself from Pumyra's arms to charge over to the aged human.

"It's so good to see you unharmed, young one," Analee said warmly.

"Well," Bengali chuckled, "he's feeling braver now."

"Given what that boy has seen," Lynx-O said, "he well should be."

"You know," Bengali said as Pumyra came near him, "You looked for all the galaxy as though holding a child in your arms was natural."

"Well, what do you expect?" Pumyra asked playfully. "I'm only a healer *and* a woman."

"A woman with one hell of a right cross," he joked.

"And how do you think I manged to turn down so many suitors on Thundera?" she asked impishly. "I saw you and Sho make up, by the way."

"Yeah. We've reached an understanding."

"I know. You two really hit it off."

"He's really not a bad guy. He really cares about the ThunderCats and Third Earth."

"Well," Pumyra said with a coy smile as the others walked up to the control chamber for the hastily-called council meeting, "I know one ThunderCat who cares for *you* more."

"Do you, now?"

"Oh, yes," Pumyra said as she eased away from him. "In fact, I have it on good authority that this particular ThunderCat will be waiting for you later tonight."

"Is that right?" Bengali asked.

"That is so right," Pumyra chuckled as she raced to catch up with the others.

Thank Jaga I've been taking my vitamins, Bengali thought as he ran up the spiral stairs.

The session of the ThunderCat Council was abuzz with excitement as Tygra called it to order. At the opposite edge of the table sat Analee, Turmagar, and Sho, invited as honored guests. WilyKit and WilyKat were absent, along with Snarf and Snarfer, busy teaching Kora how to play a rousing game of Snarfball. He noticed the quick glances being exchanged by Bengali and Pumyra with a barely repressed smile. Even more surprising were the looks between Cheetara and Lion-O.

Better wear the earplugs tonight, Tygra mused with a grin as he rose to speak.

"Lynx-O, in his wisdom," Tygra began, "recorded the battle which took place earlier today. On viewing this, we hope to gain valuable insights to our enemies' tactics, as well as more data on the capabilities of our new ally," he said, indicating Sho. It was all a load, Tygra knew. This was mainly to boost morale. And it needed some serious boosting. The recording began, showing Guyver shaking his head in confusion.

"Never knew anyone to come out of Alluro's trance on their own," Panthro said, looking at Sho. "How'd you do it?"

"When I changed, the armor snapped me out of it. Don't ask me how."

"I'm beginning to wonder if there's anything that armor of yours *can't* do," Lion-O said with a shake of his head.

"Far as I know," Sho began with a grin, "it can't cook."

"The Eye of Thundera has trouble with that, too." Laughter echoed around the council table for several moments, the tension and frustration of the past weeks fading as hilarity reigned. Such a victory had been desperately needed. As the recording progressed, cheers and congratulations were shared liberally.

"Quite a routing," Tygra said around a laugh. "I can't recall a time when we had the Lunattaks on the run so fast."

"Quite a suit of armor you posess, Sho," Turmagar said, clearly impressed.

"Uh... thanks," he replied lamely, his face burning with embarrassment.

"No need to be so self-conscious!" Turmagar exclaimed. "You should be proud!"

"I am, really. But I'm just glad we all got out of there okay."

"I second that," Cheetara said, placing a hand on Lion-O's. His fingers intwined with hers.

"Thank you again, ThunderCats. Sho, as well," Analee said brightly. "I can't tell you how grateful we Warrior Maidens are that Kora is back among us."

"Are you faring any better?" Lion-O asked.

"We are preparing to re-locate into the Unicorn Forest," Analee replied. "There, we hope to rebuild our people. Close by is a human farming village. We have a chance to live yet."

"We're glad to hear it," Pumyra said. "We hope your Maidens bear many strong sons."

"I echo that hope," Analee replied with a warm smile.

"And, on another good news front," Panthro said, "our operable vehicles have been fully re-fueled. All that's left is to repair the ThunderTank and bring the HoverCat in for repairs."

"After which," Lynx-O said, "we can begin to replenish our food stores."

"I spoke with the surviving Berbils as they were rebuilding their village," Analee said. "They have made contact with another Berbil settlement to the west. Food stores are being shipped for the Berbils here and for the ThunderCats and Warrior Maidens."

"Glad to hear it!" Lion-O exclaimed. "We'll ensure those shipments arrive at their intended destinations."

"I shall pass that word on," Analee said with a smile.

"On that note," Tygra said, "Council is adjourned."

Sho retired to his room, exhausted and glad for it. Sleep might just come easily tonight, he thought as he stripped himself of all but his pants before falling into bed.

I used the Guyver, and no one died, he thought as he closed his eyes. I like that...

Bengali had stripped his clothes, standing nude before Pumyra. He stared at her naked body, barely able to keep from pouncing before he could speak.

"Pumyra, come here," he said evenly as he held his own urges barely in check.

"Like you have to ask," she said as she drew closer in the darkness.

"I've been thinking, lately," He said as her arms encircled him.

"About what?" she asked as her claws left trails of irresistable fire along his back.

"If Sho hadn't come out of Alluro's trap," he began.

"Bengali, don't..."

"This time, I have to," he replied, marshalling his strength. "We're dealing with things no other ThunderCats have dealt with before."

"I know that," Pumyra said, embracing him with surprising strength.

"I wanted to wait until this madness was over," Bengali said, spurred by his love for Pumyra, "but Jaga help me, I don't think I can."

"Bengali?" she asked, hopeful and anxious.

"Pumyra," he began, kneeling before her and taking her hand in his, "Will you... become one with me?"

"I..."

"Whatever happens," Bengali began, "I want you at my side, as a fellow ThunderCat, and my wife." Her mouth found his and didn't let go until he was certain they would both pass out from lack of air.

"After all this time," she said with joyful tears welling in her eyes, "I was beginning to think you'd never ask. Yes, Bengali, I will take you as my husband." She eased back as he rose to his feet once more, an impish smile on her face.

"I wanted to ask you when we were stranded on that damned island..." Bengali managed before Pumyra pounced, forcing him onto the bed. No other words were uttered until the morning.

Lion-O swallowed past the nervous lump in his throat when he cast a sidelong glance at Cheetara as they walked toward the guest chamber he had been using as his own. He struggled to comprehend the strange desires and emotions which raged in his mind at the sight of her shapely body covered by the tight leotard and the heat which built inside at thoughts of what lay beneath it. Tygra had told him of the passions that came with adulthood soon after the Annointment Trials, but feeling them first hand left his elder's explanations hollow.

"So, here we are," he said weakly when they arrived at the door to his chamber.

"We are," Cheetara replied, gazing deep into his soul.

"Want to come in, or something?" Oh, *great* move! he berated himself.

"I'd love to," she replied with a smile he had never seen on her lovely face before.

Cheetara studied his muscular body as she followed Lion-O into his bedchamber. She knew she would have to take him by the hand this first time, and relished that thought.

"Lion-O," she purred as he turned and she embraced him. She felt his powerful arms gently encircle her and she pressed herself into the embrace.

"I can't afford to feel fear," he began as he tentatively stroked her black-spotted blonde mane, "but today, I was afraid I wouldn't see you again." His voice was shaky, nervous as he admitted his feelings.

"I know," she replied, carressing his back. "I felt the same. You are a man, now. One I am proud to call Lord of the ThunderCats. And..." Her lips closed on his. The kiss was tentative, uncertain until Lion-O let his emotions guide his response. "...one I wish to call my lover."

"I love you." Those three words warmed every inch of Cheetara's heart as she began to undo the clasps of Lion-O's tunic.

"I love you, too," she replied as the top of his outfit fell to the floor and exposed his hard torso.

"I'm... not sure what to do..."

"Don't worry," Cheetara replied with a smile. "It'll come naturally."

In the next episode:

Repairs of their vehicles completed, the ThunderCats prepare to escort the shipment of foodstuffs from the Western Berbil Village only to meet a restored Dyme and a vengeful Grune. Mumm-Ra brings Primor and his forces to heel and teleports them to an ancient ruin which will become a new Castle Plun-Darr, and also begins to plot a means to remove Guyver from the war. Will it succeed? Will Grune and Dyme destroy the ThunderCats? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	13. King's Fall

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Thirteen

"We seem to be missing a few," Tygra said as he and Panthro enjoyed their post-breakfast coffee. At that moment, Sho entered the dining area of the Tower of Omens and made a bee-line to the plate that Snarf had left for him.

"Well, there's one," Panthro chuckled as he took a sip. "Pretty much on time, too. Not bad for a human. Looks like he's getting used to it." They turned away as the young man devoured his small breakfast in record time and attacked the cup of coffee.

"I'll be outside," Sho said after he finished. "Thank you for breakfast."

"Don't worry about it," Snarf said as he collected Sho's dish. "I just wish Lion-O would get out of bed, already. His food's getting cold, Shnarrf."

"And I wonder why *he's* sleeping so late," Tygra said knowingly as he finished his coffee.

"You noticed, too?"

"Who didn't" Tygra replied with a wink. "Took long enough, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Panthro replied. "And I'm glad for it. He's grown up a lot these past weeks."

"True, but I wish it were under different circumstances."

"Same here." Panthro said as he drained his cup. "But, who knows how long this would have taken otherwise?"

"Cheetara sure seemed eager," Tygra began, "and Lion-O looked ready to learn. I'd be surprised it they woke up by noon."

Bengali and Pumyra entered then, hands joined and identical smiles on their faces. Bengali whispered something into her ear which caused Pumyra to blush a deep scarlet.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, knowing her question was rhetorical.

"Those two... Ah, here they are!" Tygra replied as Lion-O entered, his hand firmly in Cheetara's and both looking serene.

"Finished repairs on the ThunderTank last night," Panthro said as he ambled over to the newly christened couple.

"That fast?" Cheetara said, eyes wide in surprise.

"Bah, most of the damage was to the armor plating," he said with a wave of his hand. "Only had to replace one cannon and a paw, far as major damage goes. She's ready to meet the Berbils. Wanna come with me, Lion-O?"

"Huh? Oh! Sure, Panthro. Just let me know when."

"Right." Panthro clapped a friendly hand on Lion-O's shoulder before leaving. The conversation he planned to have with the Lord of the ThunderCats would be a good one, that was for sure.

Primor stood under the breaking dawn, raging at the statues which so completely contained his forces. Even tunnelling had proven futile, each shaft having collapsed when they met the edges of the invisible barrier.

Mumm-Ra must fear me, he mused, to keep me caged here. How right he is to fear me! Once I am free, I'll settle his ass *first*! Just then, as though in response to his thoughts, a brilliant flash of crimson heralded Mumm-Ra's arrival. The demon priest stood flanked by a portly, bald human and...

A Thunderian?! The sight of the massive cat with a single saber tooth puzzled Primor at first, until loathing settled in.

"Primor," the mummy said as the other Mutants cleared out to leave their leader to face the unholy triumverate alone. Cowards. "I trust you've been comfortable?"

"What is the meaning of this, damn you!?" He doesn't look so tough, Primor thought. One good swing from a mace would tear him in half!

"I couldn't have you wreaking havoc all across *my* world without my direction."

"Your world, eh?" Primor snorted.

"Yes," Mumm-Ra snarled "And if you wish to survive here, you will bow to my will."

"You're far from the first to try getting me under a thumb," Primor said derisively. "You and your two friends, though, are by far the sorriest of that lot."

"Is that right?" Mumm-Ra asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Dyme."

"At once, Master," the bald human said, stepping away from the mummy and the Thunderian.

"Oh, sending the fat one?" Primor hooted, noting that none of his underlings were joining him. "What's he gonna do, eat all my supper?"

"No," the human called Dyme replied. "I wouldn't touch whatever shit you'd shove in your mouth." With that, his body became as runny soup and dissolved into the soil.

"Okay, that was unimpressive... WHAAAAAT!" Primor's heart skipped several beats as the earth beneath him began to undulate wildly. The once-solid ground became loose, then liquid as a massive fist of dirt and stone closed tightly around him and rose into the air.

"You disappoint me, Primor," Mumm-Ra cackled as the earthen fist tightened. "It seems that Slythe was smarter than you after all. Not by much, mind you, but enough to know how to obey his superior."

"I... I will..."

"Shut up, Misanthrope," Mumm-Ra spat. "You've already proven to be unworthy of my purposes. Fortunately," he said as he indicated the leering Thunderian, "I have your replacement ready."

"My... men won't..."

"Follow me?" the cat laughed. "They will when they see this."

All the air was forced from Primor's lungs as the fist squeezed even tighter, then tighter still. The Simian could not even scream as his ribs cracked, broke, then were crushed entirely as the pressure pulped his vital organs. The view slanted at an insane angle, then blurred until he felt a light impact. His eyes cleared momentarily as he saw his crew staring at him in horror. Strange, why couldn't he feel anything? Primor tried to turn his head, yet nothing responded...

The view faded into eternal blackness...

Mumm-Ra cackled gleefully as the assembled Mutants stared in horror at the head of their once-feared leader lying on the living soil. The rest of Primor remained in Dyme's grip until the massive arm flung the shattered corpse against the barrier with enough force to utterly destroy it.

"You had best start hailing your new master," Grune said in a thratening tone. The assembled Mutants took no time at all to begin hailing him.

"To the south," Mumm-Ra said as Dyme left the soil and regained his human form, "you shall find some ruins. Use your slaves to begin building a new Castle Plun-Darr." Had Mumm-Ra cared, he would have seen the humor in doing so on the former site of the city of Boston. "Use them to your heart's content, for I shall provide more." With that, Mumm-Ra vanished along with Grune and Dyme. There was still more to be done.

"The ribs are healing nicely." Despite what you got into last night, Pumyra added silently and unable to suppress a grin.

"Good," Cheetara said, dreamily. Pumyra couldn't see her face due to the Cheetah's upraised arm, but had seen the look Cheetara had been sporting as she had come in for her checkup.

"You know," she began in full healer-mode as she rose. "Sex isn't a good idea with ribs as tender as yours are right now."

"Is it that obvious?" Cheetara asked in reply as she pulled the upper half of her leotard back into place. Pumyra shook her head and smiled broadly.

"Even if I hadn't noticed the sparks between you and Lion-O," she said, "the look on your face couldn't have come from flying solo."

"I've been long tired of that," Cheetara answered, smiling.

"It does get old after a while," Pumyra giggled. "So, is it love?"

"Oh, yes." Cheetara blushed, something she did only rarely, at Lion-O's admission of his feelings. "I take it things are going well between you and Bengali?"

"Well... can you keep a secret?"

"Oohh, this has gotta be good," Cheetara said conspiratorily as she leaned closer.

"We're planning to tell everyone at council tonight, but... Bengali asked me to wed him!" Cheetara gasped sharply, joy in her eyes.

"You said yes?"

"You *know* it!"

"Oh, Pumyra," Cheetara said warmly as she embraced the other woman. "Congratulations! This is such great news!"

"I'm so thrilled!"

"Have you set a date?" Cheetara asked as they separated.

"Not yet. We hope to do it soon."

"Lion-O's never been told about wedding ceremonies between ThunderCats," Cheetara said, "But I'm sure he'll be more than happy to officiate."

"Well, we don't want anything opulent. Just a simple wedding."

"A quick speech and a blessing with the Eye. Those are usually the best." At that, a knock came at the door to the infirmary. "That would be Sho."

"He could just come in," Pumyra replied.

"Well, the first time, he walked in on me in the buff."

"I'll bet *that* made a lasting impression," Pumyra laughed.

"If anything, it embarrassed the hell out of him. I still get a laugh out of it." To the door: "Come in, Sho. No one's nude in here."

"Oh, you can be so mean," Pumrya said with a mock glare.

Panthro revelled in the throaty growl of the ThunderTank's re-tuned engine as the desert which surrounded the Tower of Omens began to give way to sporadic patches of green. The first vehicle he had built on Third Earth had been based on schematics which had been experimental on Thundera, and had been constructed with parts salvaged from a wrecked spacecraft. More than any other machine he had built here, the ThunderTank filled him with pride. He glanced over at Lion-O, who was staring dream-like at the passing scenery, and grinned.

"Something on your mind, Lion-O?" he asked, nonchalant. "You look a little spaced-out."

"Just thinking. About the Mutant Army, Mumm-Ra, Guyver..."  
"And about how Cheetara made a man out of you last night." Panthro roared with laughter at Lion-O's sputtered response.

"How... What... Did we... I mean..."

"Now, now, don't be embarrassed," Panthro said with a smile. "What happened between you two is perfectly natural. And overdue."

"O-overdue?" Lion-O asked, his face flush with embarrassment.

"Cheetara's been carrying a torch for you for some time, now," Panthro said as the sparse vegetation gradually became lush jungle foliage. "And your feelings for her have been pretty obvious."

"They have?"

"Here's an example," Panthro began as the memory came to the front of his brain. "remember the last overhaul I gave this baby?" he asked as he patted the top of the control console.

"Two months ago, right?"

"That's it. Cheetara bent over the side to see what I was doing. I thought your eyes would light fire to her backside." Panthro chuckled, some small part of him enjoying making Lion-O squirm a little.

"You... noticed?"

"Oh, yeah, and that wasn't the only time. And, don't think Cheetara hasn't spent any time checking *you* out."

"So," Lion-O began, "if Cheetara's felt this way for so long, why didn't she let me know sooner?"

"She was waiting for you."

"Waiting... oh. She didn't want an immature mancub sharing a bed with her. I get it."

"Nope," Panthro replied. "Not entirely."

"I knew I would miss something," Lion-O said with a shake of his head.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Panthro said. "Feminine mystique is something men just aren't meant to know. Even Jaga couldn't fully understand the female mind."

"Panthro, I never thought I'd hear you say such a thing."

"Strange, but true. I'll explain as best I can, but keep one thing in mind."

"I'm ready."

"Even though your suspension capsule had a weird malfunction," Panthro began, "Cheetara is still at least twice your age. She's had a lot more experience than you. When she realized she was attracted to you, she knew she had to wait."

"For me to finish growing up," Lion-O said.

"Pretty much. You had the body of a man, but the mind of a kitten. Cheetara waited until you were mature enough mentally to understand just how serious an intimate relationship is, and emotionally mature enough to be able to handle it."

"I think I understand," Lion-O said at length. "The Annointment Trials were a test of that, too?"

"For Cheetara, you bet," Panthro said. "And believe me, you passed with flying colors. Truth be told, you've matured by leaps and bounds since this madness all started."

"What choice did I have?" Lion-O asked with a smirk. "But, even so, I still wish none of this had ever happened."

"Lion-O..."

"I know, I know. If wishes were fishes, we could walk to the next continent and not get our feet wet." Panthro laughed heartily at that.

"Did Snarf teach you that one?"

"Nope. It's a Wollo saying. Salvador told it to me last year." Lion-O paused for a moment, a pensive look on his face. "Have I really changed so much?"

"Like night and day. You're making really good decisions, and doing it with real confidence." Not with cockiness, Panthro had the tact not to say. "Following in your father's footsteps isn't easy, and Jaga's got some huge boots to fill as well, but you're well on your way. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Panthro." The ride continued in silence for several minutes before Lion-O spoke again, hesitantly. "Tygra told me about sex, and how the first time is usually painful for a woman."

Uh-oh, Panthro thought. I didn't see *this* coming.

"Yeah..."

"Unless I missed something, Cheetara wasn't feeling any kind of pain our first time that night."

First time that night? Panthro thought, amazed. Moons of Thundera!

"Remember," Panthro said, "Suspension capsules aside, she *is* older than you." The elder ThunderCat struggled to find an explanation Lion-O would understand that didn't involve using the words "Put" and "Out" in sequence. "Cheetara had her fair share of suitors back on Thundera. I never pried into her intimate life." It was a small lie, but Code or no Code he had to be careful on this. "And you shouldn't, either. You're the one she loves. I take it you feel the same?" Lion-O leaned back in his seat with a wistful smile.

"Those three words were probably the last coherent thing I said last night."

"Good. As far as any lover she may have had on Thundera goes, you shouldn't worry about it." Panthro knew of Cheetara's first - and until now only - lover, and how he had died at the hands of Ratar-O. How that rat bastard had made Cheetara watch as he tortured her love when she had violently turned aside the Mutant's attempt to force himself on her.

Lion-O, for his part, relaxed into the comfortable passenger seat. She loved him. That one thought made the day seem brighter, somehow, the air a little sweeter. The thoughts which he'd told Panthro he was having at first, which hadn't been anywhere near his mind at the time, were even farther away. He found himself missing her presence already, could still taste her on his lips from the quick kiss they had shared in private before he had left with Panthro.

Private? he mused. Probably not.

Tygra had told him during that long talk that now seemed a lifetime ago that mutual physical pleasure - his words exactly - was important in a relationship, but should never define it. Lion-O swore to himself that he would love each and every aspect of Cheetara for...

"What the...?" he said as the Eye growled. The ThunderTank lurched to a sudden halt as Lion-O yanked the Sword free and brought the crossbars to his face. "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight!"

"What is it?" Panthro asked, tense and alert.

"The Sword's showing me the road ahead," Lion-O said, "and nothing else. I don't get it."

"Well, the Eye wouldn't growl just to be included in conversation," Panthro growled, checking the surrounding area with the ThunderTank's sensors and his own two eyes. "Something's up."

"I don't see anything. What about the sensors?"

"Not a thing wrong," Panthro said uneasily. "But, we can't ignore the Eye's warning."

"Can't go around," Lion-O said, "the trees are too thick. Our only was is through, and Jaga only knows what's in our way."

"How do you want to call this one?"

"When are we supposed to meet the Western Berbils?"

"Not for another two hours," Panthro replied. "I wanted to have enough time to recconoiter the area before they arrived."

"Still plenty of time for us to take another route," Lion-O said softly. "It may be best to do that."

"Okay. Let's... WHAT THE HELL?!" Lion-O held on as best he could as the soil beneath the ThunderTank became as thick liquid. Several spikes shot up from the soupy earth, snatching it up off the turf and nearly sending the two ThunderCats out.

"What *is* this?!"

"I don't know, but I think we can jump past it!" Panthro shouted. "Let's go!" The two ThunderCats leapt for all they were worth, only to see the whirling pool of watery dirt spread out farther then the range of their legs.

"WHAT?!" Lion-O shouted as they landed. Panthro's choked shout was the only warning either recieved before the tree branches rapidly encircled the panther's limbs and yanked him upward. Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens and aimed it at the coiling and writhing wood when a strangely familiar voice stopped him short.

"Don't bother, Cub," that snide, condescending voice said. "This is between you and me." Lion-O spun about, his mouth dropping open at the sight of Grune.

"You... how is this *possible*?!" he demanded as he levelled the Sword at Grune's chest. "And how are you doing this? Release Panthro! NOW!"

"To answer your first question," Grune replied, striding easily over the undulating earth, "Mumm-Ra needed a new commander of the Mutant Army."

"I... knew that bastard was behind this," Panthro snarled as he struggled against his bonds. With a mighty heave, he snapped the tree limbs apart, only to sink waist-deep in the living earth with an enraged roar.

"And as far as this goes," Grune continued, waving his arm in a lazy semicircle, "this is the handiwork of my new associate, Dyme." At that, an vaguely humanoid form rose from the dirt beside Grune. Where eyes should have been there were only black, empty sockets. Rocks and loose soil cascaded down the muddy form in tiny rivulets, its mouth misshapen as it spoke.

"Get this over with, Grune," Dyme said in a bored voice. "I didn't follow you all the way out here just to keep a ThunderCat busy for you."

"Oh, I'm definitely about to get busy!" Panthro shouted as he reached for his nunchaku. With an exasperated groan from the earthen creature, several large and jagged rocks burst from its chest like cannon balls which forced Panthro to abandon arming himself in order to protect his head.

"I said release him!" Lion-O's charging run toward Dyme was cut short at the sight of a spiked club in his path and the feel of his strength draining.

"I told you, Lion-O," Grune snarled. "This is between you and me. Dyme will handle the panther. I will kill *you*." Lion-O hopped back just in time to avoid Grune's first swing and brought the Sword up in time to block a second.

"Is that it, boy?" Grune snickered as Lion-O parried another attack. "Just dodge, block, and evade? Don't you have the balls to attack me with that sword?"

"GRRRRRAAAGH!" Lion-O pressed the attack, ignoring the steady drain of his strength by Grune's club. The Sword of Omens grew increasingly heavy in his hands, his strikes losing power and accuracy as Grune laughed derisively. He lanced out with the Sword, aiming at Grune's chest, and realized too late he had over-extended his arms as the spiked weapon slammed home against his right forearm. Pain exploded from the broken limb, bringing a howl of agony from the bottom of his heaving lungs that played counter to Grune's mad cackle of triumph. A massive boot landed squarely in Lion-O's chest and sent him sprawling against the lazily moving soil.

Need... help... he thought, pushing past the pain.

"I couldn't best Jaga," Grune said as he strutted closer. "I couldn't get to Claudis. But, Moons of Thundera, I *AM* going to kill their favorite cub!"

Almost there... Lion-O's eyes narrowed as Grune came into range. Ignore the pain... ignore the pain... NOW! Lion-O rose up on his good arm and twisted his legs in a bone-crunching arc that caught Grune's lower legs and spilled him onto his back. His already flagging reserves of strength rapidly failing, the Lord of the ThunderCats rose while grabbing the Sword of Omens.

"Cheetara? Something wrong?"

She ignored Sho's question as she stared to the west. The dread she had felt since Lion-O and Panthro's departure had suddenly grown into a massive, unnamed horror. Cheetara could feel the vision racing nearer, her sixth sense buzzing with desperate intensity.

"Are you okay?" Trance-like, she turned to the young human and froze. In place of his black hair was a mane of unruly brown with black stripes. His blue eyes became golden cat's eyes, the face shifting to one she had not seen alive in years, and in her nightmares long since his brutal demise.

"Cougrix!" Cheetara yelped, her face a mask of abject terror. She backed away from Sho as the vision replaced all she knew to be real. She saw Lion-O... on the ground... the blood... oh, the BLOOD!

"Who? What's going on?" Sho/Cougrix exclaimed, their voices melded into a dischordant melody of madness. Cheetara forced the vision away with great effort, knowing only that she had to get to Lion-O, and fearing that she was already too late.

Sho stood rooted in place as Cheetara screamed, a sound of horror and utter negation of whatever her glowing eyes were seeing, before she spun about and was gone before he could blink.

"What the hell was that about?" Sho asked the empty air, indescion and worry warring for dominance inside. Whatever it was, it had her completely freaked out. Sho raised his left wrist and cursed when he realized that Panthro had yet to repair the communicator after his encounter with Mumm-Rana. He glanced back at the Tower of Omens, knowing that he had time to either run in and tell the others, or change and follow Cheetara as best he was able.

"GUYVER!" The ground beneath him shattered as the destructive barrier appeared and the armor covered and enhanced his body. The transformation complete, Sho tore across the parched landscape before commanding the gravity controller to take him airborne and was rewarded with the sight of a massive dust cloud which had to be the work of the Cheetah's insane speed.

Hope I can pull this off, Sho thought as he raced across the sky.

"Thunder! Thunder! THUNDER..." the rest of the words jammed in Lion-O's throat as the white-hot agony detonated from just under his sternum. His eyes went from Grune, on his back with an evil leer radiating pure hate, to the handle which stuck out perpendicular to his body. He didn't register Panthro's horrified expression and howl of denial and rage as he sank to his knees.

"Slow learner, aren't you my lord," Grune said as he rose, spitting the last word as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

Have to... call them... Lion-O thought as the weight of the Sword of Omens slowly dragged his left arm down. He reached deep within himself for the strength to heft the ancient blade skyward once more.

"THUNDERCATS! HO!" Blood burst from his lips as the signal roared into the clear blue sky.

Panthro struggled to pull himself out of the sucking hole in which the monster that called itself Dyme had entrapped him. No words passed his lips, merely growls and snarls of incoherent fury and horror at the sight of the Lord of the ThunderCats as he lay dying. Grune stalked over to Lion-O, twirling that damned Thundrainium mace, and laughing until the man-like shape slid between them.

"That's it," the thing said, "we're done."

"Get out of my way, zoanoid freak!" Grune thundered, swinging his mace. The shape evaporated in a shower of dirt only to flow back upward and restore itself.

"I told you, if the cub uses that signal, we bail out."

"You think I fear the ThunderCats?!"

"You moron! You *know* who else is gonna gome running to that signal!" Grune's eyes narrowed, but his club lowered. "He might not be as ruthless as Guyver Three, but Guyver One is no less powerful! You think he'll hesitate to wipe us both out?"

"Hmmm... today's your lucky day, Panthro," Grune said, hooking his club back on his belt. "Looks like I'll have to wait until later to send you to join Lion-O."

"Damn you, Grune, get back here!" Panthro roared as the ThunderCat Betrayer loped into the jungle foliage. "Come back and fight, damn you!" The earth became solid once more, leaving him lying on his stomach.

Calm down, Panthro, he told himself. Call the Tower! He charged to the ThunderTank, nearly destroying the comm unit for stabbing the button so hard.

"Tower of Omens! Damnit, Tygra, answer me!"

"Tygra here," his voice responded instantly. "We saw..."

"Get Pumyra, prep the infirmary! Lion-O's been injured!"

"How bad?"

"I don't know if we can get him back in time... hey, damnit, I haven't fixed that wrist comm yet! Get Sho, tell him..."

"I saw him tear off after Cheetara a few moments ago," Tygra answered, his voice tight. "I think they're..."

"Oh, Jaga! No! NO! NOO!"

"She's here, and so's he! Panthro out!"

Cheetara collapsed at the shallowly-breathing Lion-O's side, numb horror settling over every nerve as she carressed his hair... red, so red... like the blood, oh, so much of it...

"Cheetara." She didn't notice Panthro's strong hands grasping her shoulders, pulling her away. White-hot tears left trails of burning anguish down her face, seeing blood oozing from the mouth she had kissed not two hours before, oh Jaga not him NOT HIM! NOT HIM TOO, DAMNIT, NOT HIM TOO!

"Oh, God..." Sho's voice fell on her deaf ears as he landed.

"SHO!" He turned toward Panthro, unable to comprehend the horror and rage in his eyes. "You better figure out how to do that teleporting thing, and right the fuck NOW!"

"On it," Sho replied as he knelt next to Lion-O and placed his hands on the Lion's chest and tried not to look at the handle which stood out of it.

Tower of Omens, he thought, focusing on the infirmary. Tower of Omens... he could see Tygra and Pumyra bustling about in a mad rush...

Then he saw them for real.

"What kind of injury is it?!" Pumyra demanded as she finished preparing the last herbal treatments she had left.

"Panthro wouldn't tell me," he said while donning a pair of sterile gloves. A thin mask covered the lower half of his face. "He just demanded I get Sho and send him out there. I can't imagine..." A thought struck Tygra then, a horrid notion of exactly why the human was needed to be present with a wounded Lion-O. "He needed Sho to teleport Lion-O back."

"Oh, no." She immediately went to the refridgeration unit Panthro had built for the Tower's infirmary and extracted serveral clear packets of whole blood. Each ThunderCat, including the kittens, had donated whenever feasible in case of the worst.

A brilliant white glare flashed in the center of the infirmary and faded to reveal Sho kneeling over Lion-O. Tygra's eyes locked on the hilt of the dagger that protruded from just below Lion-O's ribcage before noticing the blood seeping from the wound and his mouth.

"Oh, shit!" Pumyra screamed as Sho gently lifted him and carried the Lord of the ThunderCats to the waiting operating table. Her healer's eye noted the paleness of his skin, and her brain went into overdrive cataloguing what organs had been punctured, what procedures to follow.

"He's lost a lot of blood," she said, attaching the line from the hanging bag of Lion-O's donated blood to the inside of his elbow. "Tygra, get the anasthesia!"

"Here!" The Tyger applied the clear mask to Lion-O's face and adjusted the flow of relaxing gas.

"Blood pressure's way too low," Pumyra said, removing the sensor she had placed against his wrist. The fact that this equipment worked so well was proof positive of Panthro's genius as an engineer and technology expert.

"He's under!" Tygra exclaimed. "Sho, there's nothing else you can do here!"

Sho stepped into the corridor, thinking to dis-engage the Guyver before slamming his fist into the smooth stone of the gently curving wall.

"Now you know," WilyKit said with a smirk as she and her brother approached. "That wall is just as hard as it looks."

"Yeah, good thing you sent that armor away first," WilyKat quipped. "Tygra would have let you have it for busting a hole in the wall. Say, why were you wearing it, anyway?"

"You didn't see the signal, did you?" Sho replied as he turned to face the ThunderKittens. Their twin sets of eyes widened at the distraught expression.

"No... what's wrong?"

Sho sighed in relief at the sound of Panthro's gruff voice and several feet pounding along the hall. The other ThunderCats came into view barely a moment later, the panther's glare slamming into his own.

"He's inside," Sho said and saw some of the tention ease from the Thunderian's powerful muscles.

"Hey, what's going on?" WilyKat asked at the worried looks on the adult's faces.

"Everyone in the control chamber," Panthro said. "This won't be good news.

In the next episode:

Tygra and Pumyra battle to save Lion-O as the ThunderCats and Sho face their own worries and anxiety. Will Pumyra's skills as a healer and Tygra's rudimentary knowledge of medicine be enough? Or has the Lord of the ThunderCats fallen? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	14. Longest Night

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Fourteen

"Suction," Pumyra ordered, ignoring the fact that the innards she was attempting to repair were those of the Lord of the ThunderCats.

"Suction." Tygra moved the small nozzle about Pumyra's gloved fingers as it drained away the puddling blood and fluids.

"Vitals."

"Blood pressure is eighty over thirty," Tygra replied after casting a quick glance to the monitor above the surgical table.

Too damn low! Pumyra hurriedly stitched the blood vessel closed and moved to the next. Even without the gas, he wouldn't respond to any of this! "Blood pack."

"Half full. We'll have to change it soon." For the second time.

"I've never lost a patient before," Pumyra said as she sutured another vein. "Be damned if Lion-O is going to be my first." She did not, could not, allow herself to feel the sick horror of what she was seeing. She could not acknowledge that the man on the table was a ThunderCat, her leader, and one day would be her king. Lion-O was a patient, a life.

A life that seemed determined to slip away despite their greatest efforts.

Panthro took a deep, if not calming, breath. He placed a hand, no more reassuring as his own intake of air, on Cheetara's slightly trembling shoulder. She was holding together as best she was able, yet he knew what terrible thoughts were whirling about behind her eyes. He had pushed the ThunderTank to its limits keeping up with Cheetara as she split the air itself in twain coming back to the Tower of Omens. Even though the emergency boost system he had recently designed had worked, the ride would have been far too rough for the wounded Lion-O to survive.

"What's wrong with Lion-O?" WilyKit demanded. Panthro mustered his resolve and wished the girl wasn't so intuitive sometimes. They were both growing up so fast...

"I knew this was about him, Snarrrf!" Snarf wailed. "That boy's gone and done something..."

"SNARF!" Panthro glared daggers at Lion-O's one-time nursemaid. Snarf cringed, tail wrapped protectively around himself. Panthro gathered what few shreds of patience he had left before launching into his account.

"Lion-O has been severely wounded," he began measuring every word so as not to let his rage burst forth. "We were ambushed by Grune..."

"GRUNE?!" the twins exclaimed in unison.

"Mumm-Ra has somehow revived him. As Lion-O was calling the ThunderCats..." He hesitated for a brief moment, not wanting the kittens to hear the brutal details. No, they had to hear it. They had to accept the horrors of life along with its wonders. "Grune threw a knife into Lion-O's chest." Each ThunderCat gasped aloud at the announcement. Cheetara let out a strangled sob. Bengali stared at him in shock. Snarf wailed aloud, and was held by his nephew. But, the kittens...

WilyKit and WilyKat stared at him in total disbelief, hands joined together as though physically sharing each other's pain. Though it had to be said, Panthro hated himself for inflicting such horrors on the two. Other ThunderCats, younger than these two, had faced similar atrocities, but that knowledge didn't make their tear-filled eyes any easier to take.

"Lion-O's... gonna be okay, right?" WilyKat asked, his voice shaking.

"He can't die," WilyKit affirmed. "Not him. Not him, too!"

"Kit..."

"No. No more people are gonna die. NO MORE!" WilyKit tore away from her brother before she charged out of the control chamber.

"WilyKit!" Bengali shouted as the hysterical girl sped away.

"I shall tend to her," Lynx-O said, following WilyKit.

"Sho, can't you do something?" WilyKat asked, desperate.

"If I could heal him," Sho said from his spot on the far wall of the control chamber, "I would have done it in a hot second."

"Until Pumyra and Tygra are done," Panthro said as he gazed at the setting sun, "we can't make any assumptions. Much as I hate it, we just have to wait and see."

"Mumm-Ra's back, isn't he?"

"I said that, Sho."

"Then maybe there *is* something this armor can do." Sho stomped to the door which led into the main corridor. "Mumm-Rana lives in a White Pyramid. Can I assume Mumm-Ra rots in a black one?"

"Yeah... no, Sho..."

"Yes. I'm gonna ram my armored foot so far up Mumm-Ra's ass, the tip of it's gonna break his teeth!"

"Have you learned nothing?" Cheetara asked. "I told you that vengeance is forbidden by the Code of Thundera!"

"This isn't about vengeance, Cheetara..."

"Yes it is!" she shouted. "I want to string up Mumm-Ra, Grune, the Mutants, everyone who's *ever* inflicted pain on us! The Code of Thundera is why I don't. We don't seek revenge!" Her eyes burned into his own, betraying cataclysmic agony in their depths. "While you are here, you are to learn our ways. To seek retribution as you would is to cast aside all you told me you wish to embrace!"

"Look. I know I haven't exchanged more than a few words with Lion-O, but I count him as a friend! I won't let these bastards go around thinking they can..."

"Those are thoughts of vengeance," Bengali said. "I know you're mad as hell, we all are, but actively seeking to slaughter our enemies makes us no better than them."

"He's right," Panthro said. "I want to take that mummy bastard out just as much as you do, but ThunderCats don't go around seeking revenge at every turn. If we did that," Panthro said, recalling his old Code of Thundera professor, "then we might as well discard the rest of the Code." Sho halted, his face a mask of tension and frustration.

"It's not easy on you, being ThunderCats, is it?" he asked, souding drained.

"It never has been," Cheetara answered. "And perhaps it never will be."

WilyKit sat atop the Tower of Omens and gazed at the night sky as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks and the memories wracked her soul with waves of agony. Willa. Nayda. Now, possibly Lion-O. Dead. The end of life was something she couldn't understand beyond the abstract, a vague notion that hardly required contemplation. Even knowing that Jaga would die as he piloted their damaged spacecraft across the stars to Third Earth had been a distant thing in her mind, especially since his spirit still appeared to Lion-O from time to time. Jaga was dead, but not gone. Not truly Dead.

Where was Willa? Where was Nayda? If Jaga could still offer counsel, why couldn't they?

"It's not fair," she said, her voice a choked sob. "It's just not fair..."

"You are correct, WilyKit. It is not fair." WilyKit gave a startled jump at the sound of Lynx-O's voice. "May I sit with you a while?"

"S...sure, Lynx-O," she said. "Plenty of room." The old Lynx sat easily beside her, crossing his legs over one another as his eternally-closed eyes stared sightless across the darkened vista of the desert. "And, I'm not crying, by the way."

"Of course you are not," the wizened man said, giving no indication that he knew otherwise. "But, I recommend you do. Tears release the poisons of the soul."

"How are you so calm?" WilyKit asked, amazed and repulsed. "How can you be so calm?!"

"I am, because I must be."

"What?"

"I am old, WilyKit. I have seen much, more than you would believe."

"So, none of this bothers you?!" she exclaimed, anger burning away the fog of despair and pain.

"It does. The thought that the Lord of the ThunderCats may die this night troubles me greatly. Lion-O is far too young to face the end of his life."

"But he still is!" WilyKit shouted. "What if he dies?"

"What about when Willa died?" Lynx-O asked. "Or Nayda? They were both too young, too vital to leave this mortal coil. But, they still did. Death is a part of life, young one."

"So, if Lion-O dies, you just go 'Oh, well, life goes on' and forget about it?!"

"No. Should he perish, I will mourn him deeply. As will many on Third Earth."

"He'll still be dead! Don't you even care?!"

"Lion-O is not dead yet," Lynx-O said. "He may yet live. Pumyra is a superb healer, and Tygra's medical knowledge is not far behind hers. You mustn't assume the worst."

"So many are dead," WilyKit retorted, some of her anger fading. "So many..."

"And you fear that you may join them." WilyKit paused, staring at Lynx-O with undisguised shock. "You fear leaving your friends and family, and them leaving you."

"Mother, Father," she began. The words tumbled out of her mouth, refusing to be halted. "They... they died on me! They went on a mission to scout a Mutant landing force... They never came back. THEY NEVER CAME *BACK*!"

Lynx-O remained silent and let the young girl vent. The root of the matter had finally been reached.

"We woke up, they were there. The next day, they weren't!" Her words were becoming lost among the wrenching cries as both fought to escape her throat. "Just... GONE! Why did they have to go away?!" WilyKit felt an arm encircle her and she let herself be pulled against Lynx-O's side. His other hand began to stroke her hair, much like her own mother would do... "Why were they taken from me?"

"Such answers are not for us to know," Lynx-O replied sagely as she cried out years of sadness and pain. Nearly fourteen, he thought. Far too young to know such loss. "So long as you remember all who have gone before you, they are not truly gone. A small part of them remains with you for the rest of your days. Just as those who know and love you will carry a part of you with them, when you leave this life." WilyKit continued to sob into his chest. "Do not think upon death, little one. Think upon life, and making the most of it. That, WilyKit, is how we are truly alive."

The two sat under the stars long into the night, Lynx-O's chest soaking up the tears which contained so much pain.

"You're thinking about him," Panthro said after the rest had cleared out of the control room and left Cheetara alone with him.

"Of course I am," Cheetara replied in a thick voice.

"Not Lion-O. You're thinking of Cougrix."

"I... I suppose I am, a little." Cheetara sighed heavily as she allowed those painful memories to resurface. Even after so many years, the sharp and sanguine agony of it was still fresh. "He was so young, so vital. The nights we spent together... the love we felt..." She felt the tears come again, and did not fight them. Only Panthro had seen her like this before. "Just two short months together before we were captured." The words felt as mollasses in her throat. Cheetara forced them clear as she revisited memories she had kept bottled up in the back of her mind. "For the longest time, I could still feel his hands on me, the way he would carress me as we made love. How he made me feel so alive. And then, I watched him die. Ratar-O made me watch him die!" Panthro stood aside as Cheetara gave in to a fit of sobbing, her body shaking with the pain she was feeling. Cougrix had been a ThunderCat only a year, as Cheetara had been, before the two fell hopelessly in love. Then, they had drawn that fateful spying mission. Panthro had only been a ThunderCat for five years then, yet still had known how Jaga and Lord Claudis had grieved. Queen Lionessa had been just a month pregnant with Lion-O at the time, and had done all she could for the young Cheetah.

"Lion-O's gonna be okay," Panthro said as gently as he was able.

"Not even twelve hours," Cheetara replied, bitterness mixing with the suffering in her voice. "Not even a whole damn *day*! I felt guilty at first, feeling the way I do for Lion-O. I felt like I was betraying Cougrix's memory. It took months before I could get past that. Then over a year until I knew Lion-O was ready. Now, look at him!"

"Cheetara..."

"What have *I* done? Is every man I fall in love with doomed to die?"

"That's nonsense, Cheetara, and you know it," Panthro said, forcefully. "You don't know if Lion-O will die. With Tygra and Pumyra tending to him, I'd lay good odds that he'll make it."

"You'd better be right," Cheetara replied as she wiped her eyes. "I can't lose another love. I just can't."

"We've done all we can," Pumyra said. "Let's close." Tygra held the flaps of the wound together while she threaded them shut. "The rest is up to him."

"He'll pull through," Tygra said with more confidence than he felt as he doffed the bloodstained gloves. He gazed down at his king, so still and pale beneath that sheet. Lion-O's chest barely rose with each breath, his exhalations leaving a fast fading mist on the plastic oxygen mask as they slowly slid him onto a rolling bed.

"Until he recovers," Pumyra said, keeping her thoughts as positive as possible, "you'll lead the ThunderCats."

"I know." Tygra eyed the Sword of Omens, which rested alongside the claw shield atop an empty shelf, with trepidation. "I've hoped never to have to assume those duties." He strode over to the Sword and reached out. His hand paused for a moment, shaking, before he grasped the hilt. The ancient powers of the Eye coursed through him, the blade assuming battle length and the crossbars curling on their own.

"Jaga was able to wield the Sword of Omens, as well," Pumyra pointed out. Tygra merely shook his head as he trod over to Lion-O's resting body. He knew what such a reaction from the Sword could portend.

"You *will* hold this blade again, Lion-O," Tygra said as he speared the floor at the foot of the bed to which they had moved him. "May the Eye protect you, and bring you back to us. Let's wash up," Tygra said as he turned to face Pumyra. "I won't face the others with Lion-O's blood on me."

"It appears as though Lion-O may yet live," Mumm-Ra groused as he stared into the cauldron along with Dyme. Grune had been sent back to oversee the construction of the new Castle Plun-Darr, well out of his way. The Thunderian had a brutal streak which the ancient one could not help but admire, but a temper that was too hot for him to want to put up with in person. Constantly putting someone in their place could get tedious, eventually ending in said someone being put to their death. With the Mutant Army, Grune had plenty of subordinates and slaves to take out his rage on. "Even with your help, Dyme."

"I went only to subdue that Panthro, Master," Dyme replied. "Which I did quite well. Grune's failure to bash Lion-O's head is entirely his fault."

"I notice," Mumm-Ra began, his voice carrying a note of challenge, "that you insisted on retreating once the cub had managed to call the other ThunderCats."

"It wasn't the ThunderCats, Master. Why have you go through so much trouble to bring us back into the world merely to have Guyver One take us back out of it postehaste?"

Stroke my ego a little more, why don't you? Mumm-Ra thought in disgust. "It does not matter. Even should the cub live, it shall be quite some time before he can recover enough to lead the ThunderCats once more. Phase one is complete, regardless."

"That is so, Master.

"I recall you saying Guyver One was not as ruthless as Guyver Three," Mumm-Ra said. "Tell me, what of Guyver Two?"

"Ah. His name was Oswald Lisker, Master," Dyme answered. "He was an operative of Kronos."

"Go on."

"When the defective Zoanoid prototype stole the three existing Guyver Units from the main Japan branch of Kronos, he stole also a small explosive. Soon after our agents cornered him, Malmott detonated the bomb, which scattered the three units among the forest of Mount Narisawa. Sho discovered one, a Kronos betrayer recovered the third, and our agents recovered the second."

"And then activated it?" Mumm-Ra turned to fully face the kneeling Dyme.

"Ah, no, Master. Oswald Lisker was an inspector for the main headquarters of Kronos. While inspecting the unit, it activated and bonded with him. He then decided that only he could retrieve the other two units, and arranged for one of Sho's friends, who had been present at the Mount Narisawa incident, to be brought before him at an empty construction site. Sho accompanied him. Lisker soon found out that Sho had the Guyver Unit, by way of using him to make his friend cooperate, and their battle ensued."

"With Sho the obvious winner," Mumm-Ra said.

"By luck, Master."

Oh, really? "Explain!"

"Master, Sho was a boy, and Lisker was a highly trained fighter. He was not a Zoanoid, but their battle had leaned heavily in his favor. Guyver One won that fight simply because Lisker's control medal had been severely damaged from the bomb used at Mount Narisawa."

"Damaged?" This had potential!

"Master, the control medal is the vital core of the Guyver. Destroy it, destroy him. But," he began before Mumm-Ra could begin to cackle, "it is not easy. Nearly impossible. If that explosion had not damaged Guyver Two's control medal before it had bonded with him, then Guyver One would have stood no chance."

"And why is that?"

"Master, each of the three Guyver Units bestowed the same abilities, aside from some cosmetic differences, on each of the three who had equipped them. The advantage in a battle between Guyvers would go to the better trained fighter."

"I see. I simply need to damage Sho's control medal, and he shall fall."

"I hate to say so, Master, but that is not possible now."

"And why not?" Mumm-Ra's voice became low and dangerous.

"Once bonded with a host, the control medal defends itself. It does not need any conscious command from the host to do so. That is why I said it is nearly impossible to destroy a Guyver's control medal."

"Hmmmm..." Damn. Mumm-Ra paced about the tomb chamber for several moments before adding, "I must find a way to destroy Guyver before Lion-O can recover. Any ideas, Dyme?"

"One, Master."

"Then do not keep me in suspence."

"Doctor Valkus had the idea to turn Guyver One's father into a specially designed Anti-Guyver zoanoid, which would be used to end his life. I knew of the plan, but I had been killed before it could bear fruit."

"His own father?" Mumm-Ra smiled. "Anti-Guyver zoanoid?"

"Yes, Master, Enzyme Mark Two. The premise was that if it had been made from Guyver One's father, he would be unable to fight back."

"Yes. Yes! Ancient Spirits of Evil!"

"What do you seek from us, Mumm-Ra?" the voices from the statues replied.

"Search the mists of time. Seek out the battle between Sho and his own father."

"We shall do this, Mumm-Ra."

"Dyme, join Grune. Wait with him until I summon you again."

"At once, Master." Dyme rose from the floor and turned about to leave.

Mumm-Ra shuffled back to the sarcophagus, an evil rictus on his face and malevolent glee in his black heart. Finally, a way to deal with that damn boy!

A potential way, he reminded himself. If this does not pan out, then my options will be indeed limited.

Having dealt Lion-O a, hopefully, mortal blow had been only part of the plan. Mumm-Ra would never admit it, but he had come to realize that the strategy he had relied on for dealing with the ThunderCats and seizing the Eye of Thundera would never work. Turning them against each other, luring them into traps, every evil scheme he dreamt up had been defeated by them and that fucking sword. There came a time when one had to realize when something just wasn't going to work. Then came time to change tactics.

He could not destroy the Eye of Thundera. Much as he hated the thought, he hadn't the magics to do so outright. Over a span of centuries, yes, but not all at once. The assault on Lion-O, outcome regardless, had taken care of that. Tygra would wield the blade until the Lion's recovery, and could not possibly use it with the same skill. Now he had to remove the ThunderCats' other big gun, and their downfall was assured. Mumm-Ra had already decided to simply slaughter them afterward. Enslaving them, capturing them, torturing them, forget it. Best to kill them and be done with it all.

Cheetara looked up sharply, her exhaustion nearly forgotten, as Tygra and Pumyra entered the control chamber. Snarf and Snarfer walked in just behind them, carrying trays laden with mugs of steaming coffee. She looked up at their tired faces, expectant. Anxious. Terrified. Sho stumbled into the room, followed by Bengali and Lynx-O. Cheetara could not spare them any attention. The kittens, who had returned first, embraced each other in preparation for whatever news the two adults had to give.

"Lion-O came through the surgery." As one, everyone in the spacious control room exhaled in relief at Pumyra's statement. She raised her hand to still the flood of questions, and Cheetara obliged grudgingly. There had to be more, she knew it.

"The next twenty-four hours will be critical," Tygra said next. "If Lion-O can hold on until those hours are past, then he stands a good chance of making a full recovery."

A day, Cheetara thought, bitterness and hope mingling in her mind. Just one day, and he would survive. She clung to that one shining thread as a drowning woman and fought the currents of despair within her mind.

"As we all know," Panthro said, exhausted like everyone else, "until Lion-O recovers, you are Acting Lord of the ThunderCats, Tygra."

"I know," the Tyger said as he sipped wearily at the coffee.

"My stores of herbal medicines are beginning to get low," Pumyra said after a sip from her own cup. "Should Lion-O develop a post-operative infection, my stock won't be able to handle it. We must replenish them."

"We'll do so after we all get some rest," Tygra announced. "Right now, sleep is what's needed. Once rested, we will begin to scrounge up new herbal supplies."

"The Western Berbils contacted us earlier," Panthro said. "They're going to ride through the night to get here by late morning with our food. I tried to talk them out of it, but they're determined. Said one of the Unicorn Keepers had heard what happened from the animals."

"How long ago was this?"

"Just ten minutes ago. They've been waiting on us."

"I'll escort them," Sho said. "I'm still good to go." He had caught a quick nap earlier.

"Are you sure?"

"I need something to do. Unless you order me not to, Tygra, I'm gone."

"Guard them well, Sho."

"I'll be back." Sho then charged to the nearest open viewport in the control room and flung himself out. The familiar explosion slammed into the air at his shouted "GUYVER!" before the armored human flew off into the distance.

"Let's get what sleep we can," Tygra said. "We're going to need it."

"I'll stay with Lion-O," Cheetara stated simply. No one argued, there would have been no point.

"There's a spare bed in the infirmary," Pumyra said around a yawn. "Use it." Cheetara responded with a nod before walking out of the control room. Each ThunderCat left of their own accord. Bengali supported an exhausted Pumyra on his right shoulder before lifting her in his arms and carrying the Puma to their quaters. Pumyra merely rested her head on his muscular chest, light snoring purrs already coming through her nose.

"C'mon, Kat," WilyKit said, draping a sisterly arm around his shoulders and leading the boy back to their room. Lynx-O left with a respectful bow.

"I assume Mumm-Ra is involved in this?' Tygra asked as he and Panthro left the control room.

"You know it," the Panther replied darkly. "He went through the trouble of reviving Grune and recruiting some dirt monster named Dyme."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Haven't had time to tell them, yet. I'll give a full report first thing tomorrow."

"We must gether the herbs we need. They grow in the Unicorn Forest. We'll..." Tygra gave a mighty yawn. "... take the ThunderClaw..."

"Get some sleep, Tygra," Panthro said gently. "We'll cross those bridges when we get to them."

There they are, Sho thought as his enhanced eyes spotted the tiny pinpricks of light in the distance. Sho focused harder, and could make out several Berbils walking around a wooden cart loaded down with parcels intended for the Tower of Omens. To the left and right rode two small humanoid beings atop horned horses, unicorns, each bearing staves with crescent shapes at their tips. A few unfamiliar creatures rode miniature burros among them, along with two human females atop their own unicorn mounts.

Analee, he thought as he spied the elder human who rode beside another he recognized. Analee and Brie, Sho thought as he began his descent. Dawn had yet to break in the hour since his departure from the Tower, and he knew they could not see him. Sho landed gracefully, his arms raised in a gestrue of peace, as he drew closer to the caravan.

"I come in peace," Sho said, not bothering to wonder where those words had come from. The convoy came to a sudden, nervous halt as he emerged into the flickering light of the torches. The wild glow of the fires cast their wary faces in undulating glares as the cool desert wind blew them about.

"Is that you, Sho?" a synthetic voice asked. Sho glanced at the small robot which called itself RobearBill.

"It's me, RobearBill," Sho replied as he slowly stepped forward. "How have you been?" He was grateful that they couldn't see his grimace at the stupid question.

"We have been well, considering," the Berbil replied.

"My word, what is that?" the strange woman with the crescent staff asked the man beside her. Her husband, maybe? Sho thought.

"No idea," the man replied, stroking his beard. "I've heard the animals speak of a strangely armored man helping the ThunderCats. Pray tell, sir, would that be you?" He spoke the last louder than the rest.

"That would be me," Sho replied. "I'm here to make sure no one catches any of you with an ambush."

"Sho?" He turned to face Analee, who was staring at him in surprise. Brie had her bow drawn and an arrow notched, yet aimed at the ground.

"Yes, Elder," Sho answered. He fought down the waves of guilt he felt at seeing her. The Warrior Maidens had suffered far more than any other on Third Earth, yet two of the survivors had joined this morbid caravan. "Analee, I'm..."

"Do not apologize," the old woman said, smiling. Brie replaced her arrow in the quiver on her back and holstered her bow across a shoulder. "Tell me, have you any word on Lion-O's condition?"

"He's alive." The relieved gasps would have been audible even without the enhanced hearing the Guyver gave him. "He has to hold on for twenty-four hours. After that, it should be smooth sailing." Sho hated the fact that he'd put it so bluntly. Tact, it seemed, was not one of his strong suits. "Well, best we get moving. I'll take point." Sho turned and marched back toward the Tower of Omens. "I didn't see anyone waiting on the way here, but keep sharp." Sho focused all of his senses around the slowly-moving group and found himself answering questions at each step.

"A feathered lizard told me," the female Unicorn Keeper said as they marched to the Tower, "that a monster now inhabits the very earth."

"Really?" What the hell...?

"Yes. It told me that this creature calls itself Dyme."

DYME!

Dyme?

Where had he heard that name before?

"I haven't gotten the full report on what happened," Sho replied. That name, though... it was familiar. *Damn* familiar. But why?

The march took on a pleasant cadence despite the troubling presence of the name of Dyme. Sho's heightened senses detected the first traces of the dawn before any of the other beings behind him. He had never seen a sunrise through the eyes of the Guyver, or at least none that he could rememeber, and felt a sense of awe as the first direct rays of the sun impacted against the atmosphere of Third Earth. For reasons Sho could not divine, the sunlight was not as harsh as he felt it could be. There was a story behind that, he knew, but he chose to ignore it as the caravan drew ever closer to the Tower of Omens.

Ten damn miles, Sho thought even though his legs showed no signs of weakening. Who knew that distance could take all damn night. The shadowed arcology of the Tower had drawn nearer at a snail's pace, Sho could have sworn once or twice that the damn thing had seemed to be moving *away* rather than close.

Monster that lives in the earth itself.

Dyme. Sho focused on the ground, yet found no trace of any kind of malicious life. Whatever that Dyme monster was, Sho could not sense him anywhere around.

"Not only Grune," Agito said, "but Dyme as well." This, in spite of his mantra, was *not* part of the plan. "To think that Mumm-Ra would use such tactics so soon," he muttered. Agito felt his chance slipping rapidly away.

Dyme knows much of Second Earth, Agito thought as he breathed in the clean scent of the dawn air, and of Kronos.

That thought was disturbing. Very disturbing. Whether he knew it or not, Mumm-Ra was one step closer to finding the zoacrystals that had survived Second Earth. The thought that the most ancient, and powerful, of those things was safely ensconced in the Korath Mountains was of little comfort. Mumm-Ra could not get to it, yet neither could he.

Eight of the crystals were destroyed with their bearers. Minus Alkanphel's, that leaves three. Sho had to know where they were. Agito cast deep into his memory while he re-stoked the small fire and prepared the rabbit he had caught just an hour before.

General Randall West, he recalled, Commandant of Sandalwood Main Defence Base had not trusted him. He had to have trusted Sho, but enough to tell him where the research facilities had been hidden? The area where the Mojave Desert had once been was now at the bottom of what was once the Pacific Ocean, and the subterrainian base along with it. The R&D labs which the American government had set up to analyze any and all Kronos technology and bio-forms had been more secret than even the organization dedicated to combating them. It hadn't made sense, but the Americans had never made sense to him in the first place.

Agito finished cleaning his meal and placed it on a spit over the crackling fire. How, he thought, did Mumm-Ra even *know* about Dyme, much less be able to restore him! He'd heard one of the cats mention that name while passively listening in via his link with Sho, and his heart nearly stopped. If Mumm-Ra could restore Dyme, then what about the other two Lost Numbers, Somlum and Aptom? Somlum - joke that he was - would still be bad news, but *Aptom*! Third Earth couldn't handle him. Both he and Sho together had barely managed it.

"At least," Agito said, "there aren't many humans left for him to make zoanoids from." Not many of the races which had cropped up since Second Earth's demise had the inherent aggression and instinct to kill as humans claimed not to have. Trollogs, perhaps, maybe even Giantors, but a Wollo would not a zoanoid make.

He hoped.

In the next episode:

Sho arrives with the caravan bearing foodstuffs for the ThunderCats. Tygra, along with WilyKat and WilyKit, head to the Unicorn Forest to gather herbs necessary for medications to prevent a post-op infection in Lion-O. Grune and Dyme oversee the construction of the new Castle Plun-Darr and time passes while the Ancient Spirits of Evil search the mists of the forgotten past for a means to neutralize the Guyver. Will they succeed? And what of Agito? Is his mysterious plan derailed, or will his scheme bear fruit? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	15. Reemerging Evil

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Fifteen

Finally! Sho thought as the party reached the outer rim of trenches which had been dug by the Tuskas. Above the rims sat wicked-looking cannons that he was sure could obliterate anyone who approached the Tower of Omens that lacked a soft spot in his heart for the ThunderCats. The sun was approaching its apogee, already scorching the earth as Sho disengaged the Guyver and reveled in breathing air he could actually taste. That it currently tasted like dust and sweat did not pose any real problem.

"You're looking better," Analee said as she brought her mount alongside him.

"Thank you," Sho gave a short bow of his head and shoulders, more to hide his embarrassed blush than a show of respect.

"Have you recovered your memories yet?"

"No, but thanks for asking." Sho grinned up at the wizened woman as Tuskas in thin white tanktops and khaki fatigues bustled about with bottles of purified water. "The ThunderCats really appreciate this."

"After all they have done for us," the Wollo who had introduced himself as Salvador said, "this is the least we can do."

"Sho!" Turmagar called as he jogged over to the group. "I take it everything went well?"

"All quiet."

"Good, good," the Tuska said around a hearty laugh. "I'll take over from here. You get some rest." Turmagar clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You look like you need it."

"I'll check in with Tygra first. After that, it's straight to bed for me."

Council had just begun, the ThunderCats having risen well after first light. Cheetara, however, had remained awake. Tygra glanced at her bloodshot, exhausted eyes, and wondered if he would have to order her to take a rest. His eyes flicked down at the claw shield which stayed adhered to his hip and the hilt of the Sword of Omens which protruded from it. Its presence was as a lead weight chained to his leg, heavy and awkward.

"First," Tygra began, "let's begin with Lion-O's condition. Pumyra?"

"I've just changed the bandages on his wound," the Puma said. Her voice was thin from lack of sleep, eyelids drooping slightly. She may have slept, but she had gotten no rest. "Lion-O's vital signs are still weak, but stable."

"Is he gonna get better?" WilyKit asked.

"I hope so. His condition is unchanged. At this point no news is good news."

"That brings us to our stores of medicine," Tygra added. "Pumyra, thank you for compiling a list of what we need."

"Of course," she said around a mighty yawn. "I don't want to derail anything, but I won't be able to heal his arm until he's out of danger."

"Very well," Tygra said. He knew full well that waiting too long would cause the bones in Lion-O's broken arm to reset improperly and would require re-breaking.

"It appears that Sho has returned," Lynx-O said from his position at the braille board. "From what I can tell, everything went smoothly."

"Some more good news," Panthro said. "Snarf'll be thrilled at this food shipment." Snarf had been complaining of not being able to prepare proper meals due to a dwindling larder, much to everyone's annoyance. "Might as well get Sho up here, too. He needs to hear what's next." Panthro didn't have to say what that was. The end result of it was hanging on to life in the infirmary.

"Then you are in luck, Panthro," Lynx-O said. "The braille board shows that he is headed this way." After a few minutes, a knock came at the doorway which led to the main corridor. At Tygra's beckoning, the human entered looking worse for wear.

"Thank you for escorting the Western Berbils," Tygra said by way of greeting.

"Not just them." Sho stretched as he trod to his usual spot on the wall, just left of the doorway. "Analee and Brie came with them."

"Really?" the kittens asked in unison.

"Yeah. RobearBill, too, along with the Unicorn Keepers. Oh, yeah, Cheetara?"

"Yes?" Sho took one look at her, and had the good grace not to flinch.

"A Wollo named Salvador came, too. He asked me to tell you that his daughter's doing fine, and the baby's due any week now." Sho did not know that Wollo females came to term in merely three months, and it would not have mattered if he did. Cheetara's smile was bright, despite her bone-deep exhaustion.

"That's wonderful news. Thank you."

"No problem. I'll tell him you said so."

"Now," Tygra began, "Panthro, please give your report of the ambush. Sho, please stay." Sho paused in mid-step, looking sheepish, and leaned back against the wall.

"Lion-O and I were headed out to meet the convoy," he said, outwardly calm. Panthro managed to keep his rage at what had happened in check. Barely. "Ten miles out, the Eye growled in warning. We stopped, but all Lion-O saw when he used the Sword's second sight was empty road. We were about to take another way when the ground under the ThunderTank came alive."

Alive?! Sho thought, the shock nearly giving him a physical jolt. The name "Dyme" came unbidden to the front of his consciousness as did what the Unicorn Keepers had told him.

"We leapt out of the tank, but the... whatever the hell it is... grew before we could clear it. Right about then, the branches of a tree close by wrapped me up and lifted me. Like it was sentient."

An image formed in Sho's mind at that, of tree limbs snatching at him, pulling, encircling, trying to keep him off kilter. An image from his past... He could see it more clearly, now, two... two *zoanoids*! It began to fade, as though his brain was swallowing the memory in an attempt to deny him the truth.

"Grune showed up then..."

"You said Mumm-Ra revived the Betrayer somehow, right?" Bengali asked, the slight growl in his voice deepening somewhat.

"Yeah. I don't want to know how, but that bastard did. Grune said he was in command of the Mutant Army."

"I knew they were still lurking around," Cheetara spat. "And with Grune at the head of them, they'll have an advantage. Did he have his Thundrainium club?"

"Damn right he did," Panthro replied. "I tried to get free, but that dirt creature, Grune had called it Dyme, kept me... kept me from helping. I couldn't get *free* of that monster!"

"Calm down, Panthro," Tygra said, gently. He knew, on having seen Panthro lose control a time or two on Thundera, that the Panther was reaching the limits of his retraint on his legendary temper. Panthro, to his credit, took several deep breaths, though his hands gripped the edge of the small table hard enough to form small cracks around his fingers.

"Lion-O wasn't a match for Grune," Panthro choked out. "When he tried to call the the other ThunderCats, Grune... DAMN IT!"

"Settle down, Panthro!" Tygra shouted as the Panther shot up from his seat and shattered the table with a single blow. The kittens recoiled from his outburst, clearly frightened. They had never seen Panthro this angry before. Neither had the other ThunderCats, for that matter, other than Tygra. Panthro stood stock still, fist still by his knees, panting from the rage that was singing in his blood. "Panthro, your anger won't fix this! Keep calm, old friend." Tygra's voice carried more calm than he felt at the moment. Panthro remained standing, panting heavily as he struggled to bring his fury back under control. The knotted muscles of his mighty frame slowly relaxed as he drew his fist back to his side.

"Sorry about that," Panthro said in a tight voice as he resumed his seat.

"Do not worry about it," Lynx-O said.

"Anyway, Lion-O managed to use the signal," Panthro resumed. The rage lent his voice a silky undertone. "Dyme kept Grune from finishing Lion-O off. Said it was time to bail out. And let me tell you, it wasn't because the rest of the ThunderCats were on the way."

"Then why?"

"It was because of me, Pumyra." Sho's gaze went from the Puma to Panthro before he spoke again. "Wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Dyme said you weren't as ruthless as someone he called..."

"Guyver Three."

"Yeah. You getting your memories back?"

"Some images, a few words, nothing substantial," Sho said, grasping his head at the pain which had taken root in his cerebellum. "I heard the people in the convoy use the name 'Dyme', and a few things clicked. Not a whole lot, though," he said with hands raised in supplication and his head beginning to throb.

"So," WilyKat said, "where's Guyver Two, then?"

"I don't know," Sho said in response. "But I *know* I fought Dyme before."

"And it would seem you won."

"I... son of a bitch, I can't remember it," Sho said as the pain grew exponentially. "It's like my brain doesn't want to recall it! I do remember that Dyme was a zoanoid."

"Zoanoid?" Tygra said, rolling the word on his tongue. "You've never mentioned such a creature before."

"Because I couldn't remember what zoanoids were," Sho replied. "I do know that the Mutants remind me of them, but I don't know what they are."

"If the Mutants remind you of those things," Panthro said, "then they can't be anything good. Any idea of how many are still around?"

"No, Panthro. Sorry, but I just can't remember. I do know that Dyme wasn't a normal zoanoid. He had powers that no other zoanoid had, and that he had two friends. I'm trying, but I can't recall anything about them."

"We can safely assume that they're dangerous," Cheetara said, her head propped in her hands. "Mumm-Ra may revive them, too."

"If he hasn't already."

"Speculation won't get us anywhere," Tygra said as he rose. "We must deal with our immediate crises first." He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. "I will go to the Unicorn Forest to gather the herbs we need. WilyKit, WilyKat, you will join me."

"You got it!"

"No problem!"

"Panthro, you take the ThunderTank and tow the HoverCat back for repairs. Bengali will aid you. I trust you can deal with the details."

"Got it."

"I'm ready."

"Lynx-O, man the tower and oversee the delivery of our new supplies. Pumyra, as the resident physician, I want you to be on call should Lion-O develop any complications. Cheetara, you get some rest."

"Tygra..."

"No, Cheetara, you're about to keel over now. Either get some sleep, or I'll have Lynx-O use a pressure point to make you." The Cheetah nodded once before rising unsteadily to leave. "Sho, you get some sleep, too."

"No arguements here," the human replied as he followed the Cheetah out of the control room.

"Shnarfer, I'll tend to the mess," Snarfer said, already gathering the chunks of the table that he could manage. Panthro, looking embarrassed, bent down to help.

The walk to the hangar bay was silent, the two kittens falling in step behind Tygra and snatching glimpses of the claw shield and the Sword of Omens within it on his hip. The sight of it on him was wrong on an elemental level, looking for all the world as though it would never truly belong there. Tygra was impatient for its true weilder to reclaim it.

He hated to think it, but Tygra was forced to consider the possibility that he might end up being annointed Lord of the ThunderCats. He did not fear the duties and responsibilites that came with such a title. Shy as he was, Tygra would not back down from the demands of that role.

Should Lion-O die, then many of the hopes of the surviving Thunderians on Third Earth would die with him. Lion-O had no heirs to his future throne, nor did Tygra. Each ThunderCat lord had been of pure lineage to their clan, such being a tradition whose origins were lost in antiquity. Those of various Thunderian clans had held that lofty position, changing as the times and circumstances warranted. The Lion clan had held the title of lordship for over a century.

Tygra tried and failed to put a halt to his rambling train of thought. The tradition of a pure-blooded ThunderCat lord was one they had decided, soon after establishing Cat's Lair and with Lion-O out of earshot, that could be safely shelved. With so few surviving Thunderians, and only one female being of age at the time, an heir was a vital necessity. If Lion-O had fallen in love with one of the native beings of Third Earth - and that had seemed plausible once he had met the lovely Willa - the thought of a non-Thunderian queen had been reluctantly accepted. Tradition was a fine thing, but it paled in comparison to the ultimate survival of their race. Willa had proven a great friend to them and had even befriended WilyKit, but the ThunderCats were silently grateful that nothing romantic had bloomed between her and Lion-O though Tygra had felt stirrings in his heart and loins when around Nayda. The news of her death had hit him harder than he let his fellows see. The doors to the hangar bay slid open at their approach.

"Snarf, rwwl, over there will be fine, RobearZhane!" Tygra ignored Snarf, seeking the two Unicorn Keepers and finding them next to the ThunderClaw.

"Ah, Tygra!" the male said with a warm smile which his silver-haired wife echoed. They stood with their staves at their sides, hand-in-hand. Tygra had never learned their names, the pair having said that such things were unimportant.

"Hello!" he called in greeting, pasting what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face, "I wish to ask if you would give us permission to gather medicinal herbs in your forest. Our supplies are..."

"You do not need to ask," the small humanoid woman said with a gentle smile. "ThunderCats are always welcome in our woods."

"Thank you." The kittens echoed his gratitude. "We appreciate your coming here."

"We have not forgotten how the ThunderCats took such great measures to save one of our young foals. So few would have done so."

"All life has value and meaning," Tygra replied. WilyKit added with a smirk,

"No matter how many legs it walks on." The Unicorn Keepers laughed merrily at the precocious girl's jibe.

"Too true, young one," the man said. "Pick all the herbs you need, ThunderCats, with our blessing."

Tygra settled into the pilot's seat of the ThunderClaw, the two kittens buckling in behind him. As he began the startup procedures, Tygra began his lecture.

"We will keep the ThunderClaw in hover mode while we're gathering the herbs we need. Keep alert at all times, and stay together."

"We got it," WilyKat said.

"Don't worry, Tygra, we're practically grown up," WilyKit said next.

Not hardly, Tygra thought as he engaged the ThunderClaw's engines and guided the craft to the open main door.

"To think," Dyme began as he stared at the ruined colliseum which the forces of the Mutant Army surrounded, "that we'd build a fortress here." The zoanoid shook his bald head ruefully at the irony which completely escaped Grune.

"I don't see anything special," Grune replied. The sun sat high above in the clear sky and cast its merciless glare on the scattered ruins which dotted the otherwise barren landscape. "This used to be some kind of city, I guess."

"Boston," Dyme said with a soft chuckle. "The new Castle Plun-Darr will be built over the ruins of Fenway Park. I used to love baseball. Not so much the Red Sox. I used to be an Orioles fan."

"Dyme, do you realize that you're making absolutely *no* sense?" Grune asked with growing annoyance.

"Perhaps not to you, but before my assignment to Japan and my conversion I spent a lot of summers out here. I can still smell the hot dogs and beer."

"Hot *dogs*?" Grune asked, incredulous. "You roasted dogs?"

"No... oh, nevermind. There's no point in explaining."

"On that, we agree," Grune spat. "We need more slaves. There is a herd of Brute Men twenty miles east of here. Go and retrieve them."

"If I must," Dyme muttered.

"I thought you were keen on following Mumm-Ra's orders?" Grune asked with a sneer.

"His, yes. Yours, grudgingly." With that, Dyme melted into the soil and vanished. Grune snorted as the Mutants went about readying whips and ushering Thunderian slaves into position. He ignored the pangs of lingering loyalty toward his countrymen as a Simian cracked a cruel whip across the back of an undernourished Panther. He had made his choice to abandon the Code of Thundera ages ago, and with that any feelings toward his own kind. The Code had tried to deny him justice for his lover...

No, Grune told himself as he walked toward the Ravager. Primor's former ship had become his own after Dyme's rather effective demonstration of what disobedience would bring. Let the Mutants whip his fellow Thunderians. They deserved it for adhering to such a dated and irrelevant code of conduct. Might makes right. That was the only law of the universe. Grune fingered his thundrainiun club's handle as he stalked toward the waiting ship, not allowing himself to contemplate the emptiness he still felt in his heart.

It was almost done. The years had passed unnoticed as it drew upon every available resource it could access. The repairs to the injury were nearing completion. Like the consciousness stored within, it did not notice the passage of time.

Time held no meaning for it. All that mattered was the process that had been ingrained into its core upon its creation. Restore. Regenerate. Preserve.

The access to geothermal energy it had gained had been a great boon to restoring itself. The heat of the planet's core served only to fuel its efforts to gain wholeness once more, to repair the defects inflicted.

Soon, it knew in its limited way. Soon, it would generate a new form, and free the mind within its depths. It was function. Function was all. Function was life, and life was what it had stored within. All else was meaningless before function. The host would live again.

No one on Third Earth ever entered a place where Brute Men herded, unless there was no other choice. This was not due to threat of violence, for they were a docile race. Nor was it because their method of communication was little more than moans and grunts.

It was the stench.

Among all intelligent life on Third Earth, the Brute Men were credited with the worst hygene. Tabbots bathed themselves frequently, normally twice per day with scented oils bought with their stores of wealth. Wollos and Bolkins did so less regularly, due to their lower financial status, and without such scented additives. Even Crab Men were known to clean themselves.

Brute Men, however, had no concept of this. The scent of their own filth and excrement did not appear to bother them in the least. The concept of using soap and water - or just water - to clean themselves had never taken root in their primitive brains. They were a race not closely studied by anyone. Even the ThunderCats never had much to do with them. The fact that their squalid living conditions did not result in rampant disease was a testament of triumph to their immune systems. As it was said in many places on Third Earth, only the Brute Men could eat and sleep where they shit.

But they made excellent slaves.

Dyme nearly gagged on the taste of them as he drew the herd of Brute Men into his earthen grasp. Their frenzied struggles for freedom served only to spread their awful smell as he sucked them down into the earth which comprised his current state. Even if they were intelligent enough to erect mighty structures, they lacked the ability to wipe their own asses. Dyme chose not to think on the dichotomy of that as he drew the last of the thrity of the herd into the living soil of his body and dragged them back to the construction site. The sooner he rid himself of this burden, the better.

"Got another one!" WilyKit hooted as she snatched up a five-leafed plant from the root of a towering tree. The thick grasses of the Unicorn Forest cushioned her feet as she scampered toward another cluster of whiteberries. "I'm ahead of you, Bro!"

"He who laughs last, laughs longest!" WilyKat shouted back as he gathered up a harvest of numbing vines, his fingers deftly avoiding the thorns as he placed them in the sack at his hip. "How're you doing, Tygra?"

"I'm doing rather well," the elder ThunderCat replied as he gathered the bioluminescent moss from the trunk of a tree which the Unicorn Keepers and the Warrror Maidens had called a loblolly pine. Had it not been for the gloves he wore, the moss would have raised a rash on his hands as he harvested it, though the moss was used to make a powerful streptomyacin that Third Earth healers called penicillin. The kittens wore gloves as well, he noted with some relief before moving briskly over to a copse of flora which rose to mid-chest.

Tygra grimaced at the sticky resin which covered the seven-bladed leaves and tangled buds of the strange-smelling cluster of plants that the Warrior Maidens used for medicinal and meditative purposes. When boiled down and then condensed, it made for a powerful general anesthetic. When ground into a fine powder and taken by mouth, it also served as a potent medication for pain. Though Tygra had no real knowledge of the more sacred rites of the mostly female tribe, he had heard that during meditation they would make inscence from the buds of the plants which they would burn. He'd also heard the effects were... quite euphoric. Tygra recalled with a small shudder how easily he had become addicted to the fruit Mumm-Ra had given him when disguised as Silky and vowed that he would never attend, even if invited, a meditation with a Warroir Maiden.

"Other than the Thundrillium conduits," Panthro said as he pulled his arms out of the maintenance hatch, "there's not much damage."

"Great." Bengali finished attaching the cable to the recessed tow hook which rested just behind the forward weapon pod. The length of braided steel fibers rested on the thick grass and snaked up the flatbed trailer to the coil of a powerful winch at the front. "Repairs won't take long. She's hooked up, by the way."

"Good work. Let's attach the casters." The two ThunderCats cast as few looks at the Berbil's reconstruction efforts as possible. The industrious little Robears bustled about, working as their synthetic humming filled the air. According to RobearBill, the new crop of food-fruit trees would be planted after the winter that was fast approaching. The Berbils had informed them just before departing that the trees themselves would reach maturity within just a few months of planting, and would bear their first crop of food by the end of the next autumn. The trees had been engineered on their tiny home planet of Robear for the purpose of bearing foodstuffs for barter with the native peoples of the planets they colonized, though they needed specific soil conditions in order to grow. Third Earth had been ideal for their crops, and the ashes of the original trees would even increase the bounty of the harvests. However, until that crop came in, meals would still be limited.

Let Snarf bitch about it, Panthro thought as he grasped the outer rim of the HoverCat's lift fan and heaved upward. Bengali quickly attached the metal beam which bore nine fat, knobbly rubber wheels.

The local herds of deer and wildebeest, which the Warrior Maidens hunted as their main stock of food, would serve to feed the ThunderCats as well yet their migration period was fast approaching with the coming cold. Back at the Tower, Analee and Brie were speaking with Lynx-O and Pumyra about a joint hunt to bolster both their larders for the coming winter. Hunting had been used to supplement agriculture back on Thundera, yet the ThunderCats had not tasted wild meat since meeting the Berbils. Though a hunt would help, it would still mean half-meals and old space rations for some time to come.

The other set of wheels were attached to the other side, leaving Panthro's back aching slightly. He ignored it while he and Bengali walked to the winch controls. He wasn't as young as he used to be, yet he wouldn't allow age to slow him down. He could slow down when he was dead.

That thought brought an image of the dagger as it ripped into Lion-O, and Panthro gave a small shudder of horror.

"Hit it," he said. Bengali activated the winch. Its small engine whined as it spun the coil and hauled the HoverCat slowly up the lowered ramp and onto the trailer which was connected to the rear of the ThunderTank.

"I wish we could help them." Bengali gazed about at the humming Robears with frustration in his deep blue eyes. "They helped build Cat's Lair and the Tower of Omens. There has to be something we can do for them."

"We offered, remember?" Panthro replied. "They told us they had it under control." The Robears had refused the offer of whatever aid the ThunderCats could provide on the grounds that their loss had not been as severe as the Thunderians'. The HoverCat now secured, the two slid into the front seats of the ThunderTank. The engine caught with a mighty roar. Panthro engaged the lower gears and the tank rumbled slowly forward with its damaged cargo.

So soon? Mumm-Ra thought as the stone lid of the sarcophagus slid open. Time's mists around the centuries of Second Earth were indeed thick, denying the Ancient Spirits of Evil much of their vaunted sight. For them to have found what he sought so quickly seemed too good to be true.

"We have not yet found what you wish, Mumm-Ra," they said as he approached the bubbling cauldron.

"Then, what have you found, Venerable Ones?"

"Gaze into the waters, and see for yourself." Mumm-Ra halted at the edge of the bubbling liquid and cast his gaze within its depths. The fluid darkened just as a tiny glimmer of silver formed at its center. The round object drew Mumm-Ra's gaze like a magnet as the light slowly pulsed in a ring about its center.

"I do not understand, Masters." Something about it was familiar, though. What?

"Do you not recognize this shape?" they asked. Mumm-Ra studied it closer, the image becoming clearer to reveal...

"A control medal..." he hissed, recalling his last conversation with Dyme. "Could this be...?" The image vanished as a battle between Guyver One and a man in similar armor replayed itself in the scrying pool. The visual ended with Sho hammering the control medal out of the other Guyver's head. The waters cleared again, showing a tiny chain of islands far to the east, on the opposite hemisphere of Third Earth.

"Go and claim it, Mumm-Ra," the Ancient Spirits of Evil commanded.

"Very well." Mumm-Ra spread his arms as the magic entered his withered corpse. "Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form, to Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living!" The pain took hold as the change completed itself, leaving him filled with hellish power and wicked desires. Mumm-Ra's feet left the cold stone of his crypt as his enhanced body soared through the airway and into the black sky which surrounded his pyramid. It would be a long flight, but it could result in his other obstacle being removed without preamble. Dyme would be sore, true, but that mattered not at all to Mumm-Ra.

"Moons of Thundera, what *are* those things?" the Cheetah male gasped at the sight of the beastial creatures which were being forced up from the soupy earth only to be placed in chains by the surrounding Mutants.

"No idea, Selwyn," the Cougar female chained next to him replied. All the slaves, save for those who labored in the galleys, were gathered inside the massive ruin of stone and rusted metal. By Grune's order - and the thought of the legendary Betrayer leading the Mutants after having been so long since banished from Thundera was proving difficult to accept - even the personal concubines of the Mutant captains and officers were being pressed into service for the construction of the new fortress. The unnatural dirt monster which was vomiting up the moaning and grunting bipeds had to be the reason why that order had not been challenged. She had heard of what it had done to Primor, who had been the worst of the Mutant bunch.

"SHUT UP, BITCH!" The Jackal who had been ambling near roared as his whip left a trail of fire across her shoulders. The Cougar, whose name was Myrlha, managed to suppress the howl of agony that roared up her throat before it could pass her lips. She, like all the others, had learned that their captors would strike them less when they remained silent. Refusing to cry out made it less fun for them.

None of the seventy Thunderian slaves spoke another word as the creatures continued to emerge from the earth and were manacled into slavery. Myrlha noted, however, the resignation which was clear in their eyes and their movements. They had been enslaved before, she realized. Despite her own predicament, her heart went out to those simple creatures, whatever they were.

One day, she thought as she locked eyes with the soil beneath her calloused bare feet. That had beome the mantra of her fellow Thunderians in bondage. One day, they would be free. And they would never again wear chains.

Never.

Though the sky was pitch black on this side of Third Earth, Mumm-Ra's vision did not suffer. His ancient crimson eyes beheld every sharp and jagged detail of the barren rocks on which his bare feet trod without harm. He recalled how this place was once the homeland of the samurai, Hachiman, so long ago. The ancient demon snorted at the memory of that damnable human. If Hachiman ever visited Third Earth again from the distant past, it would not be by Mumm-Ra's hand.

He clapped his hands together, the sound echoing as a thunderclap, as he focused his mystical power between them. Azure light flared and cast the immediate surroundings in wildy undulating patters before he plunged them elbow-deep into the bare stone. From each side of the impact point raced twin jagged cracks that rapidly grew into ravines as the earth was opened and the remains of the man-made chambers beneath were exposed.

Mumm-Ra withdrew his hands and snatched them apart. From the stygian depths rose a perfect circle of unearthly metal which pulsed in a steady rhythm. From its flat base trailed several spindly threads which were already bearing regenerated flesh. The medallion floated down into his cupped palms while the scraps of biomass grew and spread at a geometric rate.

Calling on the remains of his power, Mumm-Ra teleported the vast distance back to his pyramid.

Be it ever so heinous, there's no place like home, he thought as the tomb chamber appeared around him. The growths of sinuous flesh had nearly encased his hand as he set the control medal on the icy stone floor. How soon before it would regenerate completely?

Writhing tentacles had emerged from the medallion, twisting around eachother as Guyver Two was remade. Mumm-Ra cackled as he stalked toward his sarcophagus once more. Once the process was complete, he would have a Guyver of his very own to command.

In the next episode:

Oswald Arthur Lisker is brought back into the world. With his control medal fully restored, he eagerly stalks Sho as he joins Cheetara and WilyKit on a hunt for meat with which the coming winter will require. The two Guyvers meet in a titanic battle in which secrets are revealed and blood is shed. Will Sho emerge the victor? Or will Guyver Two be triumphant after two thousand years of recuperation? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	16. Guyver Vs Guyver

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Sixteen

It did not notice its new trappings any more than it had the strange being which had transported it. The eternal gloom and dank chill in the air were meaningless as the biomass grew and developed. Bones began to form within the writhing ropes of tentacular organics, followed closely by the respiratory and cardiac systems.

The outer layers of armor began to form as the mass excreted organic resins which formed extremely durable living polymers. Weapon systems were grown as the host's brain finished developing and the consciousness was transferred.

Steam rolled off of the newly-developed form as it switched to defense mode and tested the connections to the brain. The host would awaken soon, and it would ensure that nothing would prevent that.

"Lion-O's passed the critical stage," Pumyra said as the ThunderCats gathered in council that morning. Breakfast had been filling for the first time in weeks, and the difference in mood was palpable, bouyed by the good news. "I checked his vitals, and they're beginning to improve. I'll spend today preparing the herbs Tygra and the kittens gathered for use."

"Excellent," Tygra said, openly smiling for what felt like the first time in years. "What news of the joint hunt?"

"The Warrior Maidens will meet Cheetara and the kittens at the Unicorn Forest in two hours," Lynx-O answered. "Due to their traditions, and our own, Cheetara and WilyKit will join in the hunt. WilyKat and Sho will help tend to the children. Cheetara insisted Sho accompany her to learn the territories and peoples of Third Earth."

"Kit's looking forward to it," Panthro added. "On Thundera, she would have been on her first hunt nearly a year ago." As with the Warrior Maidens, the women on their homeworld hunted the meat. "They've already left for the camp."

"What news on repairs of the HoverCat?" Tygra asked before finishing off his coffee. Council was being held in the dining area of the Tower that morning, the light of the rising sun casting a stripe of light across the center of the round table around which they had eaten earlier.

"I'll replace the thundrillium conduits after council," Panthro replied. "That'll only take a few hours. After that, it's just a matter of banging out the dents."

"I'll lend a hand," Bengali offered. Tygra nodded, hoping that nothing would go wrong today.

"If there is no other business?" Silence was his reply. "Very well. Council adjourned."

Sho breathed in the clean scent of the grasslands into which the ThunderTank had entered after breaking free of the humid jungle canopy. The sun had just fully risen, its light glinting like fire off of the drops of dew which had yet to be burned off. The throaty roar of the powerful vehicle's engine vibrated through its frame in subtle counterpoint to its actual sound as Cheetara piloted it from her position behind the strange controls. He stood at the waist-high divider between the rear area and the driver's compartment and looked down as Cheetara's hands deftly adjusted the controls to keep the tank on a steady course. WilyKit sat up front with her, the kitten's hands fidgeting with excitement. WilyKat stood to his left, his chest barely clearing the partition.

"How do you *drive* this monster?" he asked to break the silence.

"Very carefully," Cheetara deadpanned.

"Or, in my case," WilyKat added, "not at all."

"You're too young to drive the ThunderTank," Cheetara admonished gently.

"Aw, I could handle it. No problem."

"Yeah," WilyKit replied. "You could handle it into the nearest ditch."

"Hey, it was my first time driving! Cut a guy some slack, willya?" Looking at Sho, WilyKat said, "Girls, huh?"

"Hey, don't drag *me* into this," Sho said with a grin.

"Gee, thanks for the underwhelming support."

"If there's one thing I remember, it's that it never pays to argue with women." Cheetara's laughter pealed out into the growing day.

"Sho, you'll make some lucky woman very happy one day!" she said when her hilarity faded. Sho grinned at her statement.

"If they have so few men, I wonder how they have so many children?" Sho mused.

"Often, men from other human villages will marry into the Warrior Maiden tribe," Cheetara explained. "More often than not, the children are born female. It's rare indeed for a Warrior Maiden to birth a male child."

Mostly due to the presence of the kittens, and partly due to Sho's own apparent innocence of such matters, Cheetara elected not to discuss the aspects of their culture concerning intimacy any further. The Warrior Maidens were not a society of prudes, but they *never* practiced any form of intimacy outside of their bedchambers. Otherwise, WilyKit would never have been allowed to venture into the former Treetop Kingdom without supervision. Cheetara had learned from the late Willa of how, with so few men, many of them would pleasure themselves when their desires peaked and of how some even found true love and intimate affection in each other's arms.

Having endured her share of long and lonely nights, Cheetara could admit to - and relate with - using the former to keep from going mad with need. There were times when such was necessary as a release valve, and there was a certain satisfaction to be gained from it.

Cheetara had no inclination to the latter, though she saw nothing wrong in it. Such love was known on Thundera, after all, and one's preference for love and intimacy was simply not a big concern.

Sighing inwardly, she reflected on how quickly WilyKit and WilyKat were growing up. Before long, she surmised, they would need to have what was universally known and dreaded as "The Talk". Though the other ThunderCats had been the only family the kittens had known since practically cubhood, Cheetara still found the thought that they would tell them the facts of love and life instead of their parents to be somewhat inappropriate.

Cheetara ended that train of thought. That conversation would come in time. They were, after all, still kittens.

Oswald Arthur Lisker shivered as the chill sank its damp fingers into his exposed skin as the armor left him. He gazed around in the cold gloom, fighting not to gag at the stench of mildew and age that seemed to seep into his flesh and at the palpable air of corruption that his lungs breathed in. He finally managed to focus on the glowing eyes of a demonic relief carved out of the stone wall across from the pool of bubbling sludge, then onto the stone sarcophagus resting in its fanged mouth.

"Welcome." the gravelly voice said from seemingly every corner of the poorly-lit space. The grating of stone on stone echoed in the dimness as the lid of the sarcophagus slid open. Lisker focused on the red-cloaked figure as it slowly emerged.

"Who are you?" Lisker demanded. "Where the hell am I?"

"I am Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living." The hood raised and the cloak opened to reveal a withered corpse swathed in rotting bandages. "I brought your control medal here, Guyver Two."

"My... control medal," Lisker said as his memories sorted themselves. "It was... damaged..."

"It has restored itself." Mumm-Ra halted at the opposite edge of the pool. "And it has restored you. Welcome back to the land of the living."

"How long has it been?" Lisker asked as he slowly sank to his knees.

"Over two thousand years have passed since your battle with Guyver One. Or, should I call him Sho Fukamachi?"

"Two... thousand years!" Lisker exclaimed.

"Kronos does not rule this world," Mumm-Ra said as Lisker slowly regained his feet. "The organization you served is long dead. And it perished at Sho's hand."

Lisker slowly gazed up at the withered form of Mumm-Ra. Kronos was... gone? Zoanoids did not rule the world?

"He denied your masters, the Zoalords, their dominion over this world."

Lisker gazed about his surroundings as the mummy's words settled in. Kronos was gone? Sho had won?

"The Ancient Spirits of Evil told me of your impending awakening, and bade me bring you here."

"Why?"

"Guyver One still lives," Mumm-Ra said. "He must be dealt with."

"Sho...," Lisker's mind cleared itself as the images of his fight with the boy took hold. "Yes, he'd been lucky that time... Wait, how do you know any of this?"

"I know many things," Mumm-Ra said when he reached the edge of the pool. "I have lived for thousands of years."

"Really?" Lisker couldn't believe what the zombie in the cloak was telling him. "What kind of shit is this?! Do you really expect me to believe it?"

"I speak the truth, Oswald Lisker." The edge of anger in Mumm-Ra's voice was unmistakeable. "The world you know was destroyed in a titanic battle which ended not only Kronos, but most of humanity as well. Gaze into my cauldron, and see for yourself."

Lisker rose slowly, shivering in the cold, and walked to the edge of the stone-ringed pool. He stared, transfixed, as he saw Sho and another Guyver slaughtering Zoanoids... getting into Relics Point?! The images were jagged and disjointed, showing him scene after scene of X-Day, and of the battles afterward, and finally...

"It... *is* true..." Lisker staggered back, feeling sick to his stomach.

"I told you as much," the mummy said smugly.

"Why have you brought me here?

"To serve in my cause of eradicating the ThunderCats."

"The... ThunderWhats?"

"They are an alien race of cat-like beings, who have befriended the native people of this world. They stand against the dark forces I stand *for*! I have need of a powerful Guyver such as yourself to aid me in watering the soil of Third Earth with their blood."

"Sounds like a premise for a half-assed kid's show to me," Lisker replied. "You said Sho Fukamachi is here, too?"

"Yes. He currently aids them. Perhaps..."

"Perhaps only a Guyver can kill a Guyver," Lisker interjected. "I know. If my control medal hadn't malfunctioned back then, I would have killed him myself."

"It is fully restored, now," Mumm-Ra said. "You no longer suffer a disadvantage."

"Where is he?" Lisker snarled, his blood heated with rage and the cold against his naked form fading.

"I shall send you to where he is headed. But first..."

Lisker gasped as the light gathered about him to form the light brown Armani three-piece which he had worn prior to facing Sho the first time.

"I trust that is sufficient?"

"It'll do," Lisker said as he rose to his full height.

"Good. Remember, though, that the ThunderCats are your enemies as well."

"If any get in my way, they're as good as dead. But Sho comes *first*!"

"I can accept that. Now, go." The light shot from Mumm-Ra's hands as the dark chamber vanished from his sight.

Mumm-Ra focused the scrying pool on the grotto in which the Warrior Maidens awaited the arrival of the ThunderCats. He hated having to be so careful around Lisker, yet the ancient one knew first-hand how dangerous the power of a Guyver could be.

"I must not underestimate him," he mused as he eagerly awaited the start of the show. "Lisker is on my side for the moment. I must make sure that does not change until I can deal with him."

Lisker found the gloom of Mum-Ra's chambers replaced by burgeoning greenery, his own Armani suit having been restored. He had worn it when interrogating Sho and his fat friend, Tetsuro.

I can feel him, Lisker thought as he trudged through the wood to where he knew Guyver One to be waiting. As he moved around the trunks of mighty trees and strange vegetation, Lisker's memories of that long-ago time sorted themselves properly. Sho had been fortunate the last time they had done battle.

Two thousand years. It seemed impossible. Idiotic. Sho, powerful as he was, simply *couldn't* have ousted Kronos. He was a high school kid, for fuck's sake!

Then again, Lisker thought as he angled through a copse of elms toward the sound of mosty female voices, Lady Luck could be a real bitch. He stopped just outside the outer ring of a clearing in the fragrant wood and gazed about the collection of women and children who were clad in short furs that left little of their figures to the imagination.

"There you are," he hissed when he spotted Sho standing amid several human children, and one boy who strongly resembled a human cat. A woman with black-spotted blonde hair strode over to Guyver One, and Lisker saw how friendly she was to him. Were they lovers? Whatever.

Sho kept his eyes off of the exposed lengths of toned legs and shapely curves as best he was able, though the task was proving difficult as the Warrior Maidens were stringing bows and donning quivers of arrows. He cast a quick glance at WilyKat and nearly smiled as the Thunderian boy feasted his eyes on a raven-haired maiden.

"WilyKat," Sho said as he snapped his fingers in front of the boy's eyes. "Kat. Hey. Third Earh. Now."

"What?!"

"You were staring, Kat!" Sho whispered, wanting to laugh.

"I was *not*," WilyKat hissed.

"It's your fib. Tell it as big as you want to."

"I wasn't staring," he maintained stubbornly as Cheetara walked over to them with a quiver on her back and a large bow in her left hand.

"Now, you stay on your best behaivior," Cheetara said as she knelt down before him.

"No problem. We've got this," WilyKat replied.

"And by the way," she said, her voice lowering and her eyes twinkling, "you *were* staring." Sho nearly doubled over, chortling as he fought not to erupt in gales of laughter as WilyKat's face flushed. "We weren't the only ones who noticed, either." WilyKat, for his part, looked up at the maiden again to see her looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a corner of her mouth quirked in amusement. WilyKit stood next to her, wearing a scowl that could abrade steel.

"Boys..." she grunted. WilyKat's face glowed even brighter with embarrassment, and Sho felt certain that the boy's hair would catch flame if his face got any more red. His good humor died instantly as a presence pressed against his mind and a voice spoke in his native tongue.

Cheetara looked up at the fair-haired human in strange clothes as he emerged into the clearing. His pale blue eyes glinted cruelly as he spoke in a language she had never heard before. Sho's back stiffened, his face contorting in anger as he whirled on the stranger.

"Urusei, baka yaro!" Sho roared, clearly offended. His gasp on seeing the other human betrayed shock and more than a trace of fear.

"Sho," Cheetara asked, "do you know him?"

"He's... familiar..." Sho replied at length. "And I know he's trouble!"

"I didn't know you were so conversant in English," he said. "That simplifies matters."

"Do you remember him?" WilyKit asked as she arrived to his left.

"So, it's true," the tall, athletic human said, "you *have* lost your memories. Let me re-introduce myself. My name is Oswald Lisker, former chief inspector for Max Pharmaceuticals, otherwise known as Kronos."

"K...Kronos!" Sho stammered in disbelief. Images of the man before him surfaced from the black hole of his memories, spurred by terror and the feel of the contact with his mind as horrid realization slowly asserted itself despite his subconscious efforts to repress it. Lisker's cold blue eyes locked onto his own and sent a shudder racing through his body.

"You would be ThunderCats?" Lisker asked as he looked over to Cheetara and the kittens. "Mumm-Ra sends his regards." Sho felt his anger rise at the mention of that name. Lisker chuckled as the Warrior Maidens notched arrows to bowstrings and aimed the needle-sharp heads directly at him.

"He does, now?" Cheetara snarled from just behind.

"He recruited me when he came to one rather obvious realization," Lisker said. He tilted his head from side to side and the vertebrea cracked audibly. "There's only one thing in this world that can truly fight a *Guyver*."

At that one emphasized word, the air was shattered by a hammering explosion which bloomed a cloud of grass and topsoil and blasted the leaves off of nearby trees. Fear welled up within Sho as the Warrior Maidens present gasped and cried out in shock.

The dust slowly cleared and revealed the towering figure within. The armor, save for its gold coloration, was nearly identical to his own. The organic material exposed where the plates did not cover was a shade of black that seemed to suck the light out of the air. The armored section over where the mouth should be bore the twin silver orbs of the sonic buster one over the other on his left, with two small vents sharing one main port on the right with a small spike curving outward at the chin. The small vents recessed in turn as each blew out a visible jet of air.

"Another Guyver," Lisker finished, his voice sharing the mingled, almost mechanical, quality that Sho's had in the armor.

"Oh, shit..." Sho croaked.

Now what? Tygra thought with rising alarm as the Eye of Thundera growled from his hip. Pausing in the corridor which led to the hangar, he pulled the Sword of Omens free from the claw which was its scabbard to place the crossbars to his face.

"Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight!" The ethereal haze gathered at the edges of the scene he beheld. "Oh, no..." Tygra said in horror at the sight of the gold-armored figure which stared down Sho and the kittens. The vision faded just as adrenaline surged into Tygra's blood and the distance to the hangar door vanished in moments.

"Tygra!" Panthro exclaimed as he charged over to the HoverCat and two of his friends. "What on..."

"Trouble at the Warrior Maiden camp," Tygra said quickly. "The Sword showed me that they were facing down..."

"Dyme," Bengali snarled, smacking a fist into his palm.

"No. It looked like another Guyver!"

"No way..." Panthro's face paled at the implication. "You sure?"

"Sho was in the Sword's vision, and he wasn't the one wearing the armor. Yes, I'm sure."

"Guyver Three enters the picture," Panthro snarled as he and Tygra ran to the ThunderClaw.

"I'll summon Pumyra and Lynx-O," the white Tyger said as he charged to the ThunderStrike. "We'll be right behind you!"

Lisker glared at Sho, not finding any trace of the Guyver he possessed in the whirling aura which surrounded him. He did notice, however, the kid's gaze locked onto his forehead.

"Notice something different?" he asked as he tapped the control medal with the index finger of his right hand. "That's right," he purred as Sho's eyes widened in realization. "Good as new. A malfunctioning control medal won't save you this time."

The sensor medallion to the right of the fin which curved from the head beam emerald's niche and the control medal's small shield jerked back as the arrow took flight. Lisker snatched the projectile out of its flight toward his head with a near contemptuous ease before snapping it in two with a squeeze of his fingers. He craned his head about to look at the trembling girl whose hands held the offending bow and snorted in derision.

"Word to the wise, kid," he snarled as she tried to hide her fear. "You don't wanna piss me off."

"Leave them alone, Lisker!" Sho roared, rage boiling inside him and tinting his vision red. "They're no threat to you!"

"You got a point," the other Guyver replied while levelling a finger at the group of Warrior Maidens. "I've got better things to do with my time than kick around a bunch of women and kids." Sho tensed as Lisker's head turned back to him. "And Mumm-Ra's the one with a wild hair up his ass when it comes to ThunderCats. Personally, I could care less." Sho tensed as Lisker stepped nearer. "Tell you what, people. I'll give you all five minutes to clear the fuck out. If you don't, well, I won't make any special effort to keep from killing you. The clock's ticking as of now."

"No, Lisker," Sho said as he stalked toward the other Guyver.

"What, you want to go at it now?" Lisker asked. "You *do* know how many will die if we fight now, right?"

"I won't fight you here," Sho said, trembling. "The Warrior Maidens have lost one home, and I won't let them lose another!"

"Sho..."

"No, Cheetara," he said, cutting her off. "This is gonna be a fight no matter what. I won't let the Unicorn Forest be destroyed in the process." He stopped before the towering form of the enhanced Lisker and glared into the face of his armor.

"In other words," Lisker said, "you don't want your friends to see you beaten. Fine. Whatever." Lisker shrugged his shoulders, indifferent. "Name the place and call the tune, kid. I'll be there with my dancing shoes on. But, you really should slip into something a little more armored."

"GUYVER!" Sho roared. Another explosion burst into the morning air as his own armor appeared and merged with his body. The process took only a second, and Sho was disheartened to find that Lisker was still a head taller than him. "Then follow me," he said as he commanded the gravity controller to lift him. He was rewarded with the sight of Lisker joining him immediately after.

Cheetara stared into the sky along with the kittens and Warrior Maidens. The mutters of relief and amazement from the humans vanished as her sixth sense took hold and the forest became the red stone of a deep gully deep in the distant desert. She found herself staring helplessly at Lisker as he pried his chestplate open and the light...

"Sho," she said as the vision faded. "He's going to die..."

"Cheetara?" WilyKit asked fearfully.

"I have to get there! Stay with the ThunderTank!" Cheetara tore off after the two Guyvers, unsure of what she could do but certain that his life was in grave peril.

"WilyKat, what're you doing?" WilyKit asked as her brother leapt into the ThunderTank. "You know you can't drive that beast!"

"I *can* use the communicator," he shot back as he dialed in the Tower. "Tower of Omens, come in! Lynx-O..."

"The ThunderCats have left already," Snarf's voice replied through the speaker. "I'll patch you through to Tygra."

"We're on our way, WilyKat," Tygra said as he piloted the ThunderClaw in the direction of the Unicorn Forest.

"Sho and that other Guyver flew off in a big hurry," he said, "and Cheetara tore off after them!"

"She *what*?!" Panthro exclaimed.

"She said something about Sho not surviving. I think her sixth sense went nuts!"

"Her emotions can affect her visions," Tygra said. Panthro cut him off with:

"And when's the last time her sixth sense went wrong?"

"Good point. Which way did they go?"

"Southwest," WilyKat said. "There's another stretch of desert that way."

"I know," Tygra said as he changed course. "Are your spaceboards in the ThunderTank?"

"No."

"Then stay with it," Panthro barked. "We'll be back for it soon."

"Got it! Over and out!"

"What the hell is she thinking?" Panthro said as the ThunderClaw altered course. "If two Guyvers are about to mix it up, what can she do?"

"Let's just hope we get there before she thinks of something," Tygra replied.

Perfect, Sho thought as he touched down on the stone surface. The sun seemed not to have risen any further due to the direction he had chosen. A narrow expanse of stone stretched over the gully he had chosen for this battle, the shadows still deep pools as Lisker landed across from him.

"Nice choice," Guyver Two remarked. "And here I thought all the good desolate hellholes were on Mars."

"Glad you approve," Sho snarled as he began to circle. Lisker imitated his slow arc as the two Guyvers sized each other up. "I killed you. I know I did."

"Wrong, kid, you only *thought* you killed me. Kronos retrieved my control medal," Lisker explained as the two circled about. "It only took two thousand years, but I'm back. And I'm ready to stomp your ass but good."

"We'll see!" Sho shouted as he leapt upward. At the zenith, he used the gravity controller to yank him down at an angle to Lisker as he extended both feet. Lisker crossed his arms in front of his head as Sho's feet slammed against them with an air splitting boom and Guyver Two was forced backward several feet, the tips of his feet digging deep gouges in the stone beneath.

"Using one of my moves?" Lisker asked as he uncrossed his arms and grasped Sho's ankles. "Get your own!" Lisker began to whirl on the spot, swinging the other Guyver in a rapid arc before releasing Sho's feet. Lisker howled with manic glee as Guyver One slammed into the narrow strip of rock which served as a bridge between the edges of the ravine.

"WHOOOF!" The air was violently forced from his lungs when his back slammed into the natural bridge with enough force to lodge him in its center. Intense pain radiated in sickening waves from the impact, blurring his vision as he fought to extricate himself.

"Just like old times, kid," Lisker snarled as he hovered just above.

"Damnit!" Sho shouted as he smashed his fists into the remains of the bridge. The rock splintered outward from the twin blows, freeing him as the gravity controller raised him to Lisker's level and the remains of the bridge's center plummeted to the ground.

"You can't take me on the ground, Fukamachi." Sho growled in growing rage at the snide tone of the other Guyver. "What makes you think you can take me in the air?"

"We'll see about that!" He fired the beam in his helmet in a short burst, which Lisker dodged easily before landing a diving double punch into Sho's stomach. Lisker followed along, using Sho as a windbreak before hammering him into the earth below.

Owww... Sho ignored the agony as he rose from the crater he'd made with his back. Lisker, having sprung backward with grace that would have made a ThunderCat envious, landed gracefully in front of him.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Lisker's words dripped with condescencion as Sho brought his vision back into focus. "If you want to be the champ, you don't just strap on the gloves and get in the ring."

"Try strapping *these* on!" The sonic swords extended at a thought, humming quietly in the still desert air.

"Like this?" The spikes on Lisker's arms curved gracefully back as he brought his fists to the ready again. "If you wanna up the ante, kid, that's fine with me."

Cheetara stopped at the lip of the chasm, having arrived just as Sho had been violently slung into the stone overpass, and winced at the thunderclap of the impact. She knelt down, knowing that the shadows in which she hid would be completely dispelled in moments, and realized that the other Guyver had eyes only for Sho as the young man shattered the remains of the bridge. His renewed offensive was rewarded with Lisker using him as a battering ram to smash a hole in the rocky earth.

That *had* to hurt, Cheetara thought with a wince and a twinge of fear. She wanted to think that he would pull together, and it looked as though he would as both Guyvers engaged the blades on their arms and duelled in earnest. Both combatants swiped, dodged, and weaved with speed and agility that was impressive even by ThunderCat standards, yet she knew her vision would prove true. Sho had no chance of coming out of that ravine alive unless she could do something to change it. Cheetara chose not to think about the fact that she might very well cast aside her own life in the process. Her vision had been so powerful, so much like the vision that had drawn her, and by proxy Sho, to Lion-O's side in time for the young man to teleport him back to the Tower. Perhaps...

"Gyaaa!" she yelped as the horrid screech pierced her ears despite the hands she'd clasped over them when the two clanged sonic sword with sonic sword.

Sho snarled as the blade on his right arm was blocked by Lisker's, the cacophony of noise shattering scattered boulders and leaving cracks in the earth beneath. Tiny fissures began snaking up sides of the relatively narrow ravine as their blades forced each other's back and forth in a battle for dominance.

"FUCK!" Sho shouted as he leapt backward.

"I'll give you this, kid," Lisker said, his breathing only slightly labored, "you've gotten a little better."

"Gee, thanks," Sho replied flatly, breathing more heavily than Lisker. None, *absolutely* none of his attacks had landed and the fact that Lisker's blades hadn't touched him seemed to be a matter of sheer luck. Or that Guyver Two was holding back.

"But, not good enough!" Sho took to the air in time to avoid Lisker's lunging swipe, though barely.

Now's my chance! He spun about, engaging the sonic buster a fraction of a second after one of Lisker's sensor medallions jerked back. Guyver Two leapt to the side as the tightly focused sonic burst shattered the spot on which he had once stood. Wasting no time, Sho jinked hard to his right in time to avoid a burst of emerald light before landing again. It had been a stroke of ill fortune, however, as Sho locked onto the charging Lisker too late to avoid his sprinting attack. Desperate, he managed to lock hands with Guyver Two, and their battle became one of physical strength.

He's holding his own so far, she thought as the battle unfolded below. How much longer can he last? This area of Third Earth was unfamiliar to her, and there was no telling how much time would pass before the other ThunderCats would arrive, given that the Sword would direct them to the Warrior Maiden camp which was quite a distance away.

Incredible... It was the only word which came to mind as the hard stone beneath their feet cracked beneath the pressure of each set of arms pushing against each other. The strength those Guyvers possessed was enormous! Cheetara found herself thankful that Sho had chosen to fight this battle well away from any inhabited areas.

She freed her dormant staff from its gauntlet, yet refrained from extending it. Its heft was a comfort, even more, it felt right. She recalled the limited details of her vision as the two struggled against each other, and hoped that for once her sixth sense was wrong.

"Not this time," she muttered as the tables turned against Sho once again.

Sho grunted as Lisker forced his arms down another inch. He summoned every ounce of strength he possessed, yet Guyver Two seemed able to match his own reserves with ease and exceed them with just as little trouble.

The attack was as sudden as it was brutal. With the force Sho was exerting against his enemy's arms, he was unable to resist as Lisker suddenly yanked backward and down, bringing Sho's face within easy striking range of the axe-like upward kick that slammed into his chin and starred his vision. Only Lisker's continued grip kept him from flying into the air, yet that grip also served as a weapon as he savagely twisted Sho's arms outward. He fought to resist the incredible pressure on his abused elbows, but the stunning speed and power of Lisker's ploy robbed him of any chance to prevent his arms from snapping as though they were dead branches on the floor of a forest.

"AAAAAGHHHH!" Sho's scream of intolerable agony echoed in the narrow ravine as he beheld his ruined arms. Helpless, he could only stand his ground as one of Lisker's sonic swords swung in an arc which slashed brutally through the armor and flesh of his abdomen and the organs which lay beneath. Blood gushed up his esophagus and erupted in a crimson burst from the vents which trapped and expelled toxins and other unnecessary elements of the air he breathed. Great gouts of it splattered from his wound and the exhaust ports as his reserves of strength rapidly fled him. Another slash followed that one, and another, as Sho's innards were mangled and torn with each swipe of Lisker's blades. A final, stabbing strike pierced his right breastplate. The vibrating blate ruined the megasmasher and deflated his lung with ease before he snatched it back out with a thick coating of Sho's blood. Standing wounded and alone, Sho had no chance to deflect the kick which sailed him into the sheer rock wall of the ravine with only a little less force than a missle and caused the hard surface to crater in the aftermath of the attack.

"You're done," Lisker said as he stalked toward the badly wounded Guyver. Blood flowed in thin streams from the exhaust ports on his faceplate as he whimpered in terror and agony. Lisker rode high on the tide of his ultimate victory, his proper vengeance, as Sho shivered and fought to keep from sliding down the ruined rock against which he leaned.

Cheetara extended her staff and tensed the muscles in her legs as the moment drew near. She knew what had to be done, and could feel the approach of the ThunderCats at the edges of her mind. She crouched low to the earth, already selecting the jagged outcroppings which she would use in tandem with her speed to reach the vulnerable young man, as Lisker boasted of his victory.

Why do they always do that, she thought in exasperated annoyance as Lisker gesticulated during his monologue. Her blood chilled as he began to pry open his breastplate to expose the immensely powerful beam weapon beneath. Cheetara bolted, blessing her natural speed and agility as she bounded down the ravine wall.

Sho wanted to scream, yet each attempt to give voice to the wracking, unbearable torment sent another shower of gore out of his throat and through the Guyver's exhaust vents and flooded his mouth with its coppery tang. Pain seemed to define every aspect of his existence, yet the eternal release of death seemed to come no closer.

It's... keeping... me alive... he thought, and even that took great effort.

"Thought you were pretty hot shit, didn't you?" Lisker halted his approach and aimed a finger at him. "Thought that nothing and nobody could fuck with you? Well, looks like you were wrong, kid. And I'll tell you why."

"Go... go fuck yourself..." My throat's cleared? The armor's healing me! Sho realized, yet his hopes died aborning as he realized that he was still at Lisker's mercy.

"Might snag one of those warrior women back in that forest if I'm feeling horny," Lisker replied with a cruel chuckle. "Anyway, you lean too much on the Guyver's weapons." He smacked a fist into the opposite palm with a sound like a gunshot. "You never learned to use the weapons you were born with. That's why you'll never beat me." He then pried the breastplate open, the better to allow Sho to see his death approaching...

Lisker howled more from the shock than the pain as the cat woman seemed to appear out of thin air and spear the delicate lenses of the megasmasher with two impossibly quick jabs of the staff which she then twirled in her hands.

"You... BITCH!"

"I've been called worse," she retorted, backing toward Sho.

"You really think you can save him?" Lisker had a merry laugh at the thought of the athletic-looking cat woman making a stand against him. "You must really have a thing for him."

Oh, no... Sho couldn't believe that Cheetara had followed them all the way out here, and also despaired of her chances against Lisker. The mental image of her lying broken and bleeding on the desert floor was clear as fine crystal, and he realized with mounting horror that the picture was from Lisker's mind.

No, Sho thought as he diverted as much power to his surviving megasmasher lens as he was able. I won't let her die! I *won't*! The deadly beam charged beneath the undamaged left plate with maddening sluggishness, its pulse weak and feeble. He was too wasted for a full burst, and with his mangled arms he had no way of exposing the lens, but be damned if he would just let Lisker kill one of the ThunderCats along with him.

Cheetara edged backward, all attention on the Guyver before her. She didn't allow herself to feel any fear for the enemy she now faced alone, and she would not dignify his last statement with a response.

"So, you took out my megasmasher," Lisker said with an ambivalence that bordered on arrogance. "I don't need it to deal with a little kitty-cat."

"You keep thinking that." My speed will be my only advantage, she thought. I just have to hold him off until help comes.

"But, and I want you to remember this, I *am* going to make you pay for it. Slowly. "

"As though I've never heard *that* before," she snarled. She noticed the glint of the young day's sun which heralded the ThunderClaw's rapid approach. However, the momentary aversion of her gaze did not escape the gold-colored Guyver's notice, and caused him to turn about.

"Oh. The cavalry arrives." Cheetara tensed at the unimpressed note in his voice. "Looks like I'll have to deal with them before I settle up with the two of you."

"Cheetara..." His words were barely above a whisper, and that was all he could manage, "Open it..." The Cheetah glanced back at him, puzzled, until her eyes settled on the faint glow emanating from behind his surviving breastplate. He saw her glance back toward the oblivious Lisker then back at him with a short nod.

This had better work, Sho thought as Cheetara's clawed fingers settled into the groove between armored carapace and purple membrane and pried the covering open with a slight pop. She stepped back quickly from the faint glow just before it flared brilliantly and burst into the world.

Lisker's horrified scream nearly drowned out the lone megasmasher's roar as the beam hammered into his back and nearly made him one with the far wall of the gully before dying out abruptly. Sho gulped air as fast as he was able as exhaustion nearly dragged him into the black abyss of unconsciousness.

Guyver Two's armor was blackened, even smoking in places, and his incoherent shouts of rage and pain echoed into the sky above. Lisker fell to his knees, cursing both in English and in Japanese with abandon.

"Looks like you're not so tough after all," Cheetara said curtly as the ThunderClaw came to a hover above the gully and the roar of the ThunderStrike drew nearer. Lisker's tirade stopped abruptly, his mind conjuring sadomasochistic images of Cheetara that Sho's telepathic link received and would haunt his nightmares.

"Just you keep one thing in mind, you pathetic slut," Lisker said in a low voice. "I wasn't going to bother with you cats at first."

"I'm sure you weren't," Cheetara replied, sarcastic.

"But thanks to you, this just got personal. Especially between me and you. Enjoy the time with your boyfriend. It won't last." At that, Lisker shot into the air as though launched by a rocket engine.

"Sho..." The threat of Lisker gone for now, Cheetara allowed her mind to focus on the ravaged human. His arms were bent at right angles at the elbows, and the condition of his abdomen threatened to force what was left of her breakfast back the way it had come. Blood coated his armor, left fat trails down his legs and made a lake of red at his feet.

"Chee..." He stopped, gasping for breath. "Thank... you..."

"I didn't do it for thanks," she replied with a smile that she hoped was convincing.

"Truth... Justice..."

"Honor. Loyalty," she finished.

"I think I see what that really means... Gggghhhh..."

"Don't talk," she said gently as Tygra and Panthro rushed over and the ThunderStrike began its vertical descent.

"Jaga's beard!" Panthro gasped once he saw the extent of Sho's wounds.

"Bet... I look... a fright..." the human managed before succumbing to a fit of wracking coughs.

"That's one way of putting it," Tygra managed. The ThunderStrike came to a rest near the ThunderClaw. Once opened, Pumyra leapt from the left pod and raced to Sho's side with a small medical bag slung over her right shoulder.

Having been a healer on Thundera, Pumyra had seen the various insults to the body inflicted both by accident and by design, but she had never seen someone in such wretched condition as Sho.

He should be dead by now! she thought, incredulous. The blood which coated his armor was long dried and none flowed to stain it further. Pumyra gazed closer at the shredded mess which was Sho's abdomen, at the writhing mass of tissue which seemed to be... growing?! How was this possible? Reaching into her bag, she produced from it a selection of cotton swabs and clear vials.

"What are you doing?"

"He's healing, Cheetara," Pumyra said as she took a sample of reddish-blue fluid and placed the long-handled swab into a vial before sealing it.

"You've gotta be kidding," Bengali said in disbelief.

"I'm watching these wounds close themselves!" Another swab went into a vial. "I've never seen recuperative abilities like this!"

"So... I'll... make it?"

"I'd have to say so." Pumyra took the last sample, already wishing she had a proper research facility and a team to pore over them. With healing properties like that, the potential for medicine was staggering! She looked once more at the wounds to his abdomen and nearly did a double-take at how much it had healed in the short time she had needed to take samples. Even the damage to the armor was being reversed.

It's healing as well, she thought. Just like I thought, that thing's alive.

"Sorry about... all this..."

"Don't stress about it," Panthro said in reply.

"All in all," Pumyra began, "I believe it's safe to move him. The main section of the ThunderStrike has enough room for him to lie in."

"Come on, kid," Panthro said as he took Sho's right side and Bengali his left. Sho's steps were infantile, slow and uneven as the two ThunderCats aided him as best they were able without jostling his savaged arms. "Easy... easy..." Slowly they managed to get him into the main section of the ThunderStrike and onto the floor behind Lynx-O's control console. Pumyra bounded in behind them and took up a position beside his head.

"I'd like to observe this regeneration process," she explained. Panthro and Bengali nodded, both sickened and fascinated.

"We have to pick up the ThunderTank and the kittens," Panthro said when the ThunderStrike cleared the gully and soared back to the Tower. "Looks like the hunt's out of the question."

"There's still plenty of daylight," Cheetara replied. "I'll just be a little behind them in the tally."

"I can't imagine you being behind *anyone*." Tygra's comment generated chuckles from the other two as they neared the ThunderClaw. Becoming serious, Tygra turned to face Cheetara. "You took a major risk, getting between those two."

"I know that," she replied evenly. "The vision I had was far too strong to ignore."

"And I'm not saying you should have. I'm just asking you to be more careful. We're facing stronger enemies than ever now."

"Again, I know."

"Right." Tygra held himself in check. He was dealing with a seasoned ThunderCat, after all. "What can you tell us about this new Guyver?"

"He seems to have the same powers and weapons as Sho," she replied as the three boarded the ThunderClaw. "But that Lisker is a far better fighter. That seemed to be his edge."

"Better fighter, eh?" Panthro mused. The aircraft launched into the brightening sky as Tygra plotted a course to the Warrior Maiden camp.

"Not quite in your league, Panthro," she replied, "but yes."

"With a Guyver, Lisker doesn't have to be." Tygra's words cast a pall about the ThunderClaw's occupants. "Are you sure you want to continue today's hunt?"

"Lisker won't be bothering us any more today," Cheetara said. "We need the food the hunt will provide. Winter *is* coming up, you know."

Pumyra winced as Sho's arms straightened themselves out with a sickening popping and grinding of bone which played counter to his strangled cry of torture. The rents in his abdomen were nearly healed, and the savage wound in his right chest had vanished completely. His breathing had become more regular as the lung which had to have been punctured re-inflated itself.

"Easy, Sho," she said softly. "We're almost back at the Tower." And I can't wait to analyze those samples! "I know the pain has to be intense..."

"Not all that bad," he gasped. "Guyver's dulling it."

Perhaps, Pumyra thought, but not by much. She had little respect for the macho act Sho put up in not crying out in his suffering. She'd seen it time and again in patients on Thundera, and knew that he was in horrible pain despite his relative silence.

Even so, she had never seen anyone so badly wounded which still clung to life. Nor had she seen anyone recover from such wounds at all, much less in the space of an hour.

"Sho, may I ask you something?"

"Like I'd say no?"

"Heh. Do you have any clue as to how you're healing so quickly?"

"None."

"I didn't think so," Pumyra said, disappointed. "I had to ask, though."

"No... problem... AH!"

"What?!"

"My arms..." Pumyra glanced down as Sho wiggled his fingers. "I can use them again."

A wound like that should have required amputation, she mused in stunned shock. The regenerative properties of that armor were *amazing*! Pumyra glanced toward the medical bag which contained the secretion samples she had taken and wondered what gifts they would bestow.

"Looks like it's done." The gouges in the armor had vanished entirely, leaving no evidence of any damage.

"Yeah..." Pumyra watched, transfixed, as Sho's body shrank to its normal size and the purple undercoating slithered under the armor plating a fraction of a second before they leapt into the air and faded out of existence. The human lay still as stone, chest slowly rising and falling and eyes shut to the world.

"I take it he is again well?"

"He's asleep, Lynx-O." Gingerly, she inspected the blood-soaked tunic which ended in ragged tatters just above his flat stomach and sported a gaping hole over his right chest. His pants had been spared a thorough soaking of red, she noticed as she lightly ran a finger over Sho's exposed skin.

Not a scar, she thought. No sign he'd ever been injured. Already her mind was focusing on what equipment she had in the infirmary and the research that needed to be done.

"Goddamnit..." Lisker gasped as he leaned his chest against the immense tree in the middle of whatever forest he had managed to find himself in. Trees and desert, was that it? No cities? Were those amazon women all that remained of humanity?

"Cheetara." He rolled the name of the cat-bitch on his tongue, fully tasting his newest target's monicker. That she had ruined his megasmasher was of no real consequence, especially since the Guyver had already healed it. No, oh no, she had denied him the revenge that was his right! He would take his time with that one, make it last as long as he possibly could. She would *beg* him to let her die!

"You have failed." Lisker spun about to see Mumm-Ra standing before him, his ember-red eyes glowing with anger.

"The kid got lucky," Lisker answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "That's all."

"Indeed, fortune seems to smile on that boy. And the ThunderCats as well." Even Mumm-Ra had to admit that, if not for them, his other main hurdle on the path to the ultimate end of the ThunderCats would have been cleared by now. The ruin of Lisker's back had nearly been healed when Mumm-Ra had transported himself to this remote section of jungle, and the demon reminded himself not to take this human lightly. He was, for the moment, instrumental to the force he had digging itself in. The damage to his armor had reversed itself during the brief conversation they'd shared, much to Mumm-Ra's surprise.

"Come. There is a gathering of my forces far northeast of here. They will welcome you."

"I suppose I could use a place to rest up. Besides, I need to train."

"Train?" Mumm-Ra asked, perplexed.

"For the next time I meet that son of a bitch. And I have a score to settle with a certain cat woman."

"Cheetara, I take it?"

"I'll bend and break that bitch every which way I can until I hear her ask to die."

"Very well." I like this one! Mumm-Ra thought as he cast the spell which would bring them to the Mutant construction site. Perhaps he would be useful even after the ThunderCats had been eradicated.

Another slave run. It was already tedious, despite the fact that this was only the second such raid Dyme had made since being left under the charge of that brute, Grune. Having travelled so damn far through the earth had done nothing to alleviate it, either. It just *had* to be this Wollo settlement. Grune had insisted on it. Had it not been Mumm-Ra's task for him to follow the Thunderian's orders, Dyme would have simply crushed him beneath the weight of thousands of tons of dirt. The son of a bitch thought he was King Shit of Turd Mountain, and Dyme was chafing beneath him.

And, he thought, what the *fuck* is so special about these Wollo things, anyway? They looked like oversized upright hamsters so far as he was concerned. There were rather a lot of them, yes, but they were so damned short! Even though Grune had explained, in his own bellowing and blustering way, that they had made excellent slave labor before, Dyme could not see why.

Oh, well, he thought as he seeped into the soil beneath their simple stone village. If it's Wollos he wants, it's Wollos that son of a bitch is gonna get.

Salvador could barely contain his elation. His grandchild would soon be among the village of the Wollo people. He would soon see yet another generation of his family born, and would have a child to spoil as only a grandparent could. In its way, it was every bit as exciting as the birth of his daughter, Rosa.

Salvador thought then, as he often did in such happily introspective moments, of the ThunderCats which had retrieved the wedding gift he had scrimped and saved to buy from one of the greedy Tabbot jewelers. A golden bracelet with two intertwined hearts, it had taken over a year to be able to afford it. It had been worth all the doing without, for Tabbots were known as fine jewelry crafters as well as greedy hogs.

The sudden screams brought Salvador up short as the earth beneath his feet became syrupy and loose. He immediately sank to his chest, too stunned to be afraid, and found himself carried away in an irresistable tide of liquid earth as entire homes were capsized into the morass and their occupants either fell into or surfaced from the muck.

Salvador, desperate, managed to wrench himself about in a desperate search for his wife and pregnant daughter, yet found no sign of them.

"Flee!" Rosa's mother, Ximena, shouted in their native tongue as she helped her daughter run from the spreading area of hellish earth which was consuming their village. Rosa ran as well as she could manage, hands on her swollen stomach as the two women made their way to the village border.

"Mama! What is happening?!"

"Just *run*!" Rosa managed as best as she was able, until her mother's surprised shriek joined the cacophony of terror. She spun to see her mother sinking into the writhing mass which nearly reached her feet. Horror surged into her blood as Ximena screamed for her to keep moving.

Terrified for herself, her fellow Wollos, and most importantly for her unborn child, Rose turned and waddled away as fast as she was able. Fear allowed her to move despite the cramps which were taking hold in her abdomen.

Well, there's that done, Dyme thought as he contained the frantic struggles of the Wollos. Grune had better be satisfied. I'm getting tired of these slave raids. With that, the Zoanoid shifted his unnatural form back toward the site of the potential Castle Plun-Darr.

In the Next Episode:

Sho asks Panthro to teach him the martial disciplines in order to prepare for another meeting with Guyver Two. The Mutants meet Lisker, and another card is placed in Mumm-Ra's favor. Tygra orders a complete analysis of Sho's armor in the hopes that it will give enough information for the ThunderCats to deal with a Guyver set against them. Rosa flees into the forests surrounding the former Wollo village, heavy with child and feeling the pains of birth.

Will the preparations of the ThunderCats prove sufficient to the challenges they face? Will Rosa give birth alone in the wilderness? And, what of the Thunderians in bondage to the Mutants? Events cascade in a waterfall of madness and voilence as the war continues. What will become of the ThunderCats and their allies? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	17. Mending

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Seventeen

Tygra blew a sigh of great relief at the sight of the ThunderTank rumbling toward the Tower of Omens with all three ThunderCats aboard. Stacked on the trailer behind were several wildebeest and deer carcasses which needed dressing and butchering. A haul like that would ensure that they would have food well into yet another of Third Earth's long winters. In the desert in which the Tower had been built, the temperatures would not reach the extreme lows the grasslands in which Cat's Lair had stood, but game animals would be scarce in the lands which were in range of their vehicles. In a desperate attempt, Panthro had even suggested using the Feliner to hunt the unknown regions of Third Earth near the planet's equator for game despite the spacecraft's horrendous usage of Thundrillium while in planetary atmosphere.

Regardless, Tygra thought, Cheetara's been busy to bag that many kills. She'd been serious about playing catch-up. Tygra idly wondered if WlyKit had managed to bring down any kills of her own. Likely not, he mused. The first hunt for a female often went scarcely rewarded for the young's tendency to smash through the vegetation in pursuit of meat which was used to being prey and wanted to live just a little longer. Though Tygra hated the thought of having to kill to eat, he knew it was a necessity.

Another thing goes right, yet something else goes wrong, Tygra thought as he recalled Sho resting in the infirmary next to Lion-O. Pumyra had inspected Sho top to bottom, and had found no trace of any injury to his person. Rest, she'd said, was all he needed.

If only Lion-O could recover so quickly, Tygra thought as he fingered the hilt of the Sword of Omens at his hip. She seemed excited over the samples she had taken from his wounds as the armor healed him, and he had to admit to a certain sense of anticipation at the thought of what those samples could bring. Once Lion-O could resume his duties as Lord of the ThunderCats, Tygra would gladly assist her in whatever research would be needed to crack the secrets of the Guyver's regenerative abilities.

Until then, he thought when Panthro came up beside him in the slowly waning sunlight with a blade from Snarf's selection in each hand, there were other matters about the armor which needed to be addressed.

"Thinking the deep thoughts?" Panthro asked as Tygra took a knife from him. Cheetara turned the ThunderTank in a wide arc, pointing the trailer toward them before slowly reversing.

"The Tuskas will have to scale back their garrison when winter comes. It's the prime season for raiders in their lands."

"Mutant and otherwise."

"Any clues as to where they're hiding?"

"None. It's like the bastards went underground."

"At this point, I wouldn't rule that out," Tygra said. The two walked over to where Cheetara had parked the ThunderTank. The kittens bounced out just before the weary Cheetah.

"Is he okay?" WilyKit asked, nervous.

"He just needs rest," Tygra replied. "So, bag anything?"

"Just one," she said with a grin. "You try keeping up with Cheetara when she's in a rush sometime."

"I'll pass, thanks," Tygra chuckled "So, Kat, I take it watching the children went well."

"When he wasn't checking out Kala, he did fine," his sister said before he could open his mouth.

"For the last time, I wasn't checking anyone out!" WilyKat cried in exasperation.

"Okay, okay, kits. Snarf's got some knives ready for you. Go get them, and be careful!"

"Got it," they said in unison before running into the Tower.

"He was really eyeing a Warrior Maiden?" Panthro asked with a smile.

"They're both growing up," she said in reply. "They'll need the facts of life explained to them before long."

"First things first," Tygra said, "we need to get these dressed and frozen."

The days since their arrival on this Third Earth place blurred into the past, freedom seeming as distant as lost Thundera. The sun rose, they were worked at a brutal pace, and when they were finally allowed rest it was all too brief before another hellish day began. Myrlha looked over to the shackled creature which had identified himself as a Wollo named Salvador as he labored to level the earth within the stadium-like structure in preparation for digging dungeons which would rest in the catacombs Mutant scouts had reported. Ten minutes after he and the other Wollos had arrived, they had all been chained and placed to work. If one thing could be said about Mutants, they wasted no time in exploiting the backs of others.

Salvador felt lost in the merciless tides of terror and confusion which had battered his mind since the monster Dyme had attacked and abducted what seemed to be the entire population of his village. In an attempt to make sense of things, he had introduced himself to the obviously Thunderian woman and had found out immediately that conversation between anyone in chains was forbidden when a Jackal's whip left a trail of hell across his back.

Whoever she was, she represented a link to the ThunderCats. To Rosa...

Oh, God... he thought, barely repressing the urge to cross himself and kept digging. Rosa...

He had not seen his daughter among the slaves, but that knowledge brought little comfort. If Dyme had managed to miss her, all that meant was that she was very near labor and all alone. Her skills in the basic language of Third Earth were limited, and the native tongue of the Wollos was not widely spoken among the other races.

Please, O Lord, he prayed, keep my Rosa safe.

"Master Mumm-Ra!" Grune snorted at Dyme, briefly wondering how the freak could stand having his head so far up that mummy's ass before noticing the golden-armored figure which had appeared next to him. Grune's heart nearly leapt into his neck at the sight of what was undoubtedly a Guyver, yet his tension eased as he realized that it wasn't the black-armored monster which had made sport of and dismembered him so long ago.

"And who's this?" he asked with a sneer, letting his anger blot out the moment of fear.

"This," the Guyver said, "is Oswald Lisker. Otherwise known as Guyver Two."

"Inspector Lisker?!" The disbelief in Dyme's voice was palpable as his black eyes widened and his jaw grew slack. "How?! You..."

"I was dead. I got better. So, Lost Number, what's *your* story?"

"The same... sir."

"So, you two know each other?" Mumm-Ra asked, a little surprised.

"In passing," Lisker said with a dismissive shrug. "Dyme and his two friends were rather impressive Lost Numbers. It's what kept them alive, at least." Mumm-Ra noticed how Dyme bristled at Lisker's offhanded way of referring to him. If any trouble flared between them, the victor would be obvious. Nothing to worry about.

If trouble occurred between *anyone* and Lisker, the outcome would not be in doubt, he thought.

"He shall aid you in the war against the ThunderCats," Mumm-Ra said.

"Then, he will be under my command," Grune pronounced.

"Whatever," Lisker replied. "My only enemies are Sho and that Cheetah bitch. You can have the rest."

"Very well," Grune said with a curt nod. Mumm-Ra noted the narrowing of Grune's eyes. Again, nothing to worry about. When it came to Guyvers, the Thunderian knew his chances. He wouldn't do anything stupid.

Myrlha chanced a glance up at the dessicated form of that Mumm-Ra creature and barely hid a shiver of horror. His, and Dyme's, rather effective demonstration of who was now in charge left no doubt to what would happen to any who dared challenge him. And who was that golden figure?

"Another Guyver," she heard Salvador whisper just before the supersonic crack of a whip split the air and another section of his light tan coat.

"NO TALKING, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" roared the Simian which patrolled their work detail. "How many times do I have to hit you before you fucking get it!"

Guyver... Salvador knew what it was. And there was more than one.

Be strong, Salvador, she thought as she kept digging. We'll have a chance to talk once the work is over for today.

Damn Tabbots, the Bolkin named Bundan thought to himself as he guided the burro yoked to his now-empty cart through the darkening forest. An entire harvest of grain, and Pinchpenny had paid only three-quarters of what he had the previous year. If there were any way of screwing someone, trust a Tabbot to find it. Bundan couldn't help that the land had not given quite the bounty it had before. The rainy season had been a tad shorter, and as such the land gave less. What the greedy hog had paid was just barely enough to buy foodstuffs from the fishermen in the human villages along the western coast. The thought of buying any meatfruits or any other fruits had died with the Berbil groves in that savage Mutant attack. Berbils were typically generous with their wares, which had helped support his kind for decades. With their stores nearly depleted, many stomachs would rumble in hunger during the winter.

It's already growing colder, he mused as he drew the hooded tunic tighter about his wooly frame. Despite their own natural coats, the winters in this part of Third Earth could, and did, claim them in death. And with the ThunderCats in such a tight spot, again thanks to those damn Mutants, his own folk could not ask them for help. They would give all they could, true, but as the main defense for the common people, they needed all they could get.

"Ay Dios mio," Rosa managed between gasping breaths. She huddled herself against the cold, hidden in the brush as the immense cramping finally faded.

I'm going into labor, she thought. Oh, God, my child will be born in the wild. She fought back the hysteria as best she was able as she pushed through the forest growth. The pain, that immense agony, left her unable to focus on anything more than putting one foot before the other. As such, she did not notice the burro-drawn cart which approached before it came to a sudden halt.

"What's this?" Bundan squinted slightly as the Wollo woman staggered in front of his cart. "Say, there, are you all right?"

"Please to be helping me..." she managed. Bundan stood on the buckboard of his cart in order to get a better look at...

"Oh, my..." She was quite pregnant, and from her flushed and gasping face, was close to giving birth! Bundan hopped down and ran as fast as his short legs would carry him to her side. "Come, dear. Ride with me."

"Pain... AAGH!"

Definitely labor, Bundan thought as he steered her to the rear of his cart. Gingerly, he helped her onto the thin layer of straw which lined the wagon. Once the Wollo was settled, yet still gasping shallowly, Bundan reached into the small space behind the buckboard for the small blanket he kept handy and covered her with it.

"The Warrior Maidens have a camp not far from here," Bundan said as he climbed back behind the reigns and spurred the animal. "Hang on!" To think she had made this far on her own, and in her condition! He just hoped she would last until he could get her to help.

Ignorant of the other events of the day, a freshly showered Cheetara entered the infirmary. Her eyes passed over the deeply sleeping Sho to the comatose form of Lion-O which occupied the gurney to his right. Her heart wrenched at the sight of the man she loved clinging to life. So strong, so vital, and so near death. The thought nearly brought her to her knees.

No. I will be resolute.

"Still no change?" she asked. Pumyra, for her part, was seated at her desk in the south corner of the infirmary and poring over some of the medical texts Tygra had given her after the Tower's construction.

"None, I'm afraid." Pumyra failed to completely hide the weariness in her voice, the slight slurring of her words bearing evidence of her current state. Not for the first time, Cheetara found herself wishing that others of their number had medical experience beyond Pumyra and Tygra. Critical patients required round-the-clock care, and his basic skills would be a plus, but with Tygra having to step up as temporary leader he had more than enough on his own plate. "Still," Pumyra went on, "at this point no news is still good news."

"Pumyra." She looked up as Cheetara's shadow fell across her desk. "You really should get some sleep."

"I manage a nap here and there." The yawn which followed gave lie to those words. "The medicines have been processed, and Sho's no cause for worry, so at least I can devote my full attention to Lion-O."

"Why don't you let Snarf look over him for tonight?"

"I though you wanted me to get some rest?" Pumyra retorted with a weak smile.

"Good point." Cheetara couldn't help but grin. Snarf was high-strung enough as it was. "How about if I take over?"

"I thought you had watch duty tonight?"

"Lynx-O volunteered to pull a double watch," Cheetara replied. "He's getting a nap of his own right now."

"In other words..." a mighty yawn cut Pumyra short, "...it's already been set up."

"Tygra arranged it before we all had to make that trip to the desert."

"Clever one, isn't he?"

"As he'd say, he has his moments." Both women chuckled at that.

"Okay, okay, you win. But, call..."

"If Lion-O needs you, I'll call you. Just get some sleep."

"Right. Thank you, Cheetara."

"Don't mention it. Now, off to bed with you." Cheetara looked on as Pumyra rose from behind the desk and made her way out. The poor woman had been run ragged lately. A good, deep sleep would do her wonders.

Come back to me, she thought as she placed a chair beside Lion-O's bed. Don't let me lose you, too.

"Rider approachng," Lei whispered to Belix. The two women crouched on the thick limb upon which they had been standing watch as the distant figure drew steadily nearer. "Who do you think it is?"

"A target, if this one thinks to make even more trouble for us," Belix asnwered as she drew her bow.

"It was a close call this morning," Lei agreed. "I wonder how that Sho fared?"

"I don't know. I'm just glad those two monsters didn't fight it out here. Hmmm..." Belix squinted her eyes in the fading light. "Looks rather small all around. Wollo, maybe?"

"Could be a Bolkin," Lei replied. "It's time for their annual trek to the Tabbot lands to sell what grain they have left over."

"Then they must enjoy getting ripped off. Wait... yes, it's a Bolkin. Probably Bundan."

A thin wail of pain reached their ears from the Bolkin's cart.

"Is he injured?"

"He is riding awful quickly. I knew bandits would become a problem again with the ThunderCats in their current state." Another cry of torment, and the two recognized it as a woman's voice. Belix and Lei leapt down to the thick carpet of the forest floor, still green yet not for much longer, just as the Bolkin drew his panting burro to a halt.

"The Wollo," he said, pointing to the rear of his cart. "She's in labor!"

Belix loped over to the flat bed of the cart and her eyes widened in shock at the scrunched face and swollen belly of the Wollo woman.

"Why is she not in her own village?" she demanded as she wiped sweat from the Wollo's furry brow.

"I found her not far from here," Bundan replied. "I have no idea how or even why she was in the forest!"

Belix nodded. Bolkins were known for their marked inability to lie convincingly, and she knew he wasn't.

"Lei, remain on watch. I shall accompany Bundan to the camp."

"Good luck," Lei said, mostly to the unnamed Wollo.

Lisker panted with exhaustion as he welded the sliding door to his quarters shut with the emerald laser from his forehead. He didn't trust the locking mechanism to be secure should that Grune freak decide he didn't want anyone around to usurp his command over those zoanoid-like Mutants. As if he would *want* to be in charge of such a brutish and likely stupid lot. Lisker knew his sleep would be deep indeed this night, and did not trust his own honed reflexes to wake him in case of an intruder. His use of the Guyver in the fight with that motherfucker Sho and the drain it had taken on him in healing the damage that weak and brief megasmasher blast inflicted had taken its toll. He had been ready to keel over in front of his supposed new allies, yet his own iron resolve allowed him to keep upright. Be *damned* if he'd let any of them see him weak. Besides, on awakening, all he had to do was torch through the edges of the door and select other vacant quarters on this strange ship. Once back in top form, he doubted any of the Mutants, or Grune, could sneak up on him. If a demonstration of what he could do was needed, then so be it. The Guyver disengaged, and the first thing to hit him was the rancid stink of wet fur.

"God*DAMN*!" he bellowed as the odors the armor had filtered out hit him full force and nearly banished the bone-deep weariness for a brief span of moments. For God's sake, didn't these Mutants know *anything* about hygene?!

The exhaustion reclaimed him, and Lisker collapsed onto the foul smelling bed. He would stink to the top of the world, but that no longer mattered. He fell into the world of dreams, where a helpless Cheetah woman awaited him and Sho could not intervene.

The heavy steel door to the slave pen slammed shut with a screeching squeal of hinges before the sound of the locks echoed in the silent and cramped quarters. Myrlha rubbed her nearly-raw wrists - the results of the sweat chafing the skin beneath the cuffs - after those shackles had been removed and inspected the shackles which now adorned her ankles. Who cared if their arms were free if they could take little more than cub steps? She took a deep breath of the air which was rank with sweat and sought out Salvador. Myrlha found him holding a shaking woman, another Wollo, and murmuring to her in a strange lyrical language. The trembling, crying female had to be his mate.

"Salvador," she said - quietly, for conversation even in the holding pens could draw whips - as she shuffled over to the strange pair.

Salvador looked up at the sound of his name to see the Thunderian woman he had tried to speak with earlier shuffling closer, her legs bound as his were. Every muscle in his body cried out in pain from both the work and the whips as he studied her. Her hair was a shade of brown born of heritage and long neglect. Her face and body were lean from both exhausting work and poor nutrition, yet her eyes shone bright from within the flat black markings around her eyes which curved back along her face and into her mane. Her thin, tawny body peeked through several rents in the ruined fabric of the clothing which at least still covered her full breasts and her sex.

"I'm Myrlha," she said in greeting. "She is your wife?"

"Yes," he said, quietly. "Her name is Ximena."

"I wish I could say I'm glad to meet you..."

"You are Thunderian, correct?"

His question caught her completely off guard, a great hope blooming in her chest. It was several seconds before she could manage to ask, "You... know of Thundera?"

"Yes," he replied. "A group of your folk landed here a few years ago. They call themselves ThunderCats."

"ThunderCats!" came an excited whisper as those of her countrymen held in this pen overheard, and the word spread. Myrlha held up her hands for silence. The Wollo couple gazed about, clearly perturbed.

"The Nobility, they still live?" she asked, her heart pounding frantically.

"They don't call themselves nobility, but they do live," Salvador explained. "They have helped the people of Third Earth so many times."

"That's them, alright," a male voice rasped.

"Hope! Hope lives!"

"Keep yer voice down, ya damn fool!"

"SILENCE IN THERE!" boomed a Simian's voice. "IF YOU SORRY LOT DON'T WANT A GOOD WHIPPING BEFORE BED!" The rising cacophony died instantly at the threat. Each and every slave knew the Mutants would be only too happy to spend a night inflicting pain upon them.

"Do they know of us?" Myrlha asked.

"I don't think so," Salvador whispered back. "We must get word to them."

"I think I know a way," breathed a young Lynx from her left. "The Mutants sent me down into the catacombs in their place."

"Please, tell us," Myrlha pleaded. Could this be it? Could their freedom truly be close at hand? It was almost too much to hope for.

"Deep within the caves is a small fissure. It leads to some sort of underground tunnel. If any of us are to escape, then it must be through there."

"Why did you not take it?" a Lion-esque male, an arm about his wife's shoulders, asked.

"I could not leave you all, Torr."

"Did you tell them?" asked a Panther female.

"No, of course not."

"Then, if we are to have any chance," said an aged Tyger, "then only one of us must go. Whom shall it be?" The silence was deafening. With families having been restored, however inadvertantly, by the demand for labor in the building of a new Mutant fortress, few were eager to leave their loved ones.

"I'll do it," Myrlha said. Loyalty to her countrymen was all she had, the remnants of her family having met their deaths in Thundera's final days. "I'll need a guide, though."

"Husband," the Wollo named Ximena said.

"No, love, I cannot leave you here!"

"You have travelled far in your trade, Salvador," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "Surely you could lead this Thunderian back to the ThunderCats."

"But..." Salvador's protest died when his wife's lips found his.

"If the two of you do not escape," she said in her thick accent once their kiss had ended, "then none of us will know freedom again. I know our daughter is not among us, praise be unto God, and at least one of us should be with her. Go, my husband."

"I... shall," he relented.

"We need a plan," the old Tyger said.

"Any ideas, Siberias?"

"Not as yet. Be patient, my friends and countrymen. Our time will come."

Myrlha retreated to her thin cot, elation having replaced exhaution. The day of their freedom was at last drawing near. She sent a prayer to any kind-hearted dieties who were listening that she and Salvador could pull this off.

"Another slow night," the Jackal Grothis said to Apelar, the Simian on his right.

"Wanna take a few of the women?" Apelar asked, his eyes gleaming in the hastily-strung security lights. "I fancied a couple of those short ones Dyme just brought in. Oughtta squeal *real* nice."

"Nah," Grothis said. "Don't wanna screw on guard duty."

"Come on. That's never stopped ya before. Hey, you want one of the workers?" Apelar said with a sneer. "One of the cats who didn't rate as concubines? Hear they still got their maidenhoods."

"Apelar..." Grothis began in annoyance.

"You want one of the concubines. Ah, they got some skills..."

"That's enough!" Grothis snarled, causing the other Simian to cringe. "Do you really want to piss off Grune?"

"Hmph. Never thought it of you," Apelar grunted. "Cowed by a Thunderian."

"Watch your bastard tongue," Grothis snarled. "You saw what that Dyme monster did to Primor."

"Don't tell me you felt loyal to that son of a bitch."

"No," Grothis replied, "but at least Primor was a proper Mutant. With him, you knew where ya stood. Those two freaks flankin' Grune..."

"Gotcha," Apelar said. "I was in that Berbil place when that other Guyver thing first showed. Damn lucky to get out with my skin."

"I know the feeling," came a cunning voice from the shadows. Grothis and Apelar readied their laser pistols as the lanky shadow came into the pool of light which bathed the area of the door to Slave Pen One. "I was there as well."

"Jackalman," Grothis said with a sneer. "What the hell do *you* want?"

"Hmm... What do I want?" Jackalman began to pace slowly in front of them, feigning to be lost in thought. "A castle in the countryside. A mate. Maybe a pup or two. And Mumm-Ra's head mounted over my fireplace," he finished with a cruel grin.

"Really?" Apelar snorted. "And just how do plan to get that?"

"Merely by playing my cards right," Jackalman said. "Think about it, will you? The Mutant Army is led by three people of exceptional power, and staggering egos."

"And?"

"Oh, come on, Grothis. Do I have to spell it out?" Silence was his only reply. "Fine. By themselves, none of them are powerful enough to take Mumm-Ra. We merely convince them that they could do so together."

"So? I fail to see how we could profit from this!"

"That's because your brain is as small as your balls."

"Wha... WHAT?!"

"If you would care to look at the big picture, you would understand!" Jackalman shouted. "We merely have to persuade Grune and his entourage that they possess the power to topple Mumm-Ra if they act together."

"And that leave us... where? Wait, I know," Grothis replied sardonically. "It leaves us as fucking *cannon fodder* between them and Mumm-Ra!"

"Again, you don't know how arrogant they can be," Jackalman said as if he were speaking to a slow child. "They'll be so confident in their power, they won't think to even send us against Mumm-Ra first."

"Go on," Apelar said with a smirk, nudging Grothis and gesturing with his eyes. Grothis nodded slightly.

"Mumm-Ra will kill them, but he'll use up a lot of his power in the process," Jackalman explained, wringing his hands and snickering to himself with a slightly mad spark in his eyes. "That's when we move in with all of our might!" The plan was brilliant, so far as he was concerned. The fact that having dug himself out of the wreckage of Castle Plun-Darr and marching on foot to catch up with the last of Primor's forces with the faces of all the dead and the Guyver's horrible weapons running across his mind had tilted the scales of his mind toward insanity didn't register. All he saw was his chance, his last desperate chance, to be on top for once in his pathetic life. "We can wipe Mumm-Ra off the face of Third Earth forever!"

"Can you believe this Jackal?!" Apelar said to Grothis. Jackalman's face flushed with heat until he was certain his fur would spark.

"Quite a bastard, this one," Grothis said with a chuckle which further infuriated him. "But, not too bright. No, not at all."

"Listen! I tell you, we can rule this world together!"

"And what of Grune?" Apelar asked.

"Weren't you listening to me?"

"We were," Grothis said, "and so was he."

"My furry ass, he was!"

"Oh, it's your furry ass, alright," Grune snarled as he stepped fully into the pool of light in which the three Mutants stood. His spiked club twirled idly in his hand as Jackalman cringed mightily and turned slowly about.

"G...Grune! What a..."

"Don't bother," Grune said as he languidly closed the distance between himself and Jackalman. "I knew I'd have to keep an eye on you. I wonder if Primor even noticed you'd slunk into his fold."

"It was those two!" Jackalman howled, pointing a quaking finger at Grothis and Apelar as shivers of terror visibly shook him. "They suggested it to me!"

"Did you?" Grune asked the pair of guards.

"Nope."

"Not us."

"I'm more inclined to believe *them* than *you*, coward." Grune stalked closer to the cowering Mutant. He would make this quick. Brutality sometimes proved more effective than extended cruelty, after all. He watched as Jackalman scampered backward. Pathetic Mutant. "I won't tolerate thoughts of rebellion. Besides, a spineless wimp like you could never rule over a planet." With that, Grune lunged forward and sent his spiked club down in a sharp swing which landed it in the center of Jackalman's head with a sick crunch. The lights of life and madness faded at once as the last of the original Mutant leaders on Third Earth went to join his comrades in whatever hell had been reserved for them.

"Leave this pile of shit where it lies," Grune said before turning back to where the Ravager rested.

"Yes, sir," Apelar said. Even if Grune was a Thunderian, the Simian had to admire how he dealt with traitors.

Rage.

Horror.

Tears flowing hot down his cheeks.

Muted howls of agony and shame.

Blood.

Sho strained against the cuffs whose chains terminated in black iron loops in the wall behind him, screaming for Lisker to stop as he...

"Please, stop it!" He shouted at the top of his ragged lungs. "She's no threat to you!" Sho's plea went ignored. Lisker landed another punch against her jaw as he thrust again and again. Sho's heart rent itself in two as the gag rendered her mute as he... Oh, God, as he...

"GUYVER!" he roared for what felt like the thousandth time, and was yet again unrewarded by the power. Why wouldn't it come? WHY!?

He saw it then, standing just to the opposite side of Lisker. It remained frozen in place, arms crossed severely across the chest and the pitiless whites of the eyes seeming to stare into his soul.

"Why, damn you?!" he screamed. "Why won't you help me!? Help her?! WHY!?"

It remained silent, merely continuing to stare. Sho saw the fish-eye reflection of his panicked face on the curved surface of the control medal, wild eyes mad with rage and horror.

Because you are weak, the Guyver's -*his* Guyver's! - posture and indifference seemed to say. This power is wasted on you.

"Help me stop this!" Sho pleaded, his screams echoing in the claustrophobic gloom of what he now recognized as the dungeon of the former Castle Plun-Darr. Were he not chained, he would have dropped to his knees and outright begged.

"You can't stop me," Lisker taunted as he took her again and again and...

"Damnit! GUYVER! AAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"Don't bother." The knife appeared in Lisker's hand. "You couldn't stop me anyway."

He's right, you know, the silent voice of the Guyver added. You're just a boy, after all. With that, the Guyver faded into nothingness as Lisker raised the dagger over her battered and violated body, aiming the gleaming tip between her breasts.

"NO! Lisker, please, do what you want to me, but..." The blade plunged... so much blood... he'd failed...

Cheetara awoke from her daze at the sound of covers rustling to her left. Sho thrashed in his sleep, pained whimpers escaping his lips. Whatever nightmare he was having...

"Cheetara..."

Dreaming of me, is he? The terror in his unconscious moan could only mean that it wasn't in a pleasant way.

"Lisker... no..."

"Oh," she said as she rose from her seat. Earlier at the gully, then. She couldn't begrudge Sho for having nightmares about that...

"Guyver..." Cheetara involuntarily leapt back at that word, tense as Sho began to thrash wildly. Her nerves eased somewhat as no explosion annihilated the immediate area around him. She approached cautiously, a hand ready to deliver a slap that would hopefully awaken him. Cheetara did not know if he could summon that armor in his sleep, and held no desires to find out one way or the other.

"Cheetara! NO!"

She jumped as those words burst from his lips and he shot up from his bed to land on his feet in an awkward crouch. What in the world... She remained silent as Sho whipped his head about in confusion for a few moments as whatever nightmare which plagued his sleep and involved her seemed to fade.

"I'm right here," she said. Sho spun about, finding her in the dimmed light of the infirmary and his eyes filled with tears of relief. She wondered how bad the nightmare had been as he struggled to gain some composure.

"Um... been up long?" he asked sheepishly, yet she detected an undercurrent of terror in his voice.

"No," she answered honestly as she stretched to quell the pains in her back and legs. "Nightmare?"

"Yeah," Sho replied as he sat back on the bed. He wouldn't look directly at her, she noticed. Why? "What time is it?"

"Four in the morning," Cheetara replied. "You've been asleep for nearly a day, now."

"Yeah." Silence streched between them thick with unasked questions. "I'll go grab some water. Thirsty?"

"I could use some," she said in reply. She glanced breifly at his lean and muscular back as Sho walked over to the main sink and filled two cups with cool water, and noticed the twin growths between his shoulders. What purpose did they serve? She accepted the cup as she delivered her question.

"Those things?" he replied. "They've got something to do with the Guyver. They tingle when I call it, and that's all I know."

"Sho," she began, "can you call it in your sleep?"

"Huh?" his exposed skin went ghostly pale at her question. "Um... Why would you ask that?"

"You called its name in your sleep as though you wanted it to appear."

"I... did?" The confusion in his words was tinged with fear and more than a little shame, she noticed. "Must've been some nightmare, then." Cheetara saw the lie in his forced smile, yet let the matter drop for the moment. He obviously didn't want to talk about that vivid dream. At least, not to her. Sho eased back into the bed, leaning his back against the headboard as he sipped the cool liduid. The tension slowly bled out of his frame with each breath, resting his free arm on his upturned knee.

"Sho, since we're both up, I'd like to ask you something." Cheetara sat on the empty side of the bed and looked directly into his eyes.

"No problem."

"What did Lisker say to you in the Warrior Maiden camp?" Cheetara took a small sip of water as Sho's eyes shut and a weary breath blew through his lips.

"I told him to shut his mouth, and I called him a stupid ass."

"Which he deserved, and which answered my second question." Another sip of water. "Now about my first one?"

"You really don't want to know."

"Sho, I'm an adult," Cheetara said, slipping just the right amount of patronizing in her voice. "You don't have to be embarrassed at telling me how he insulted you."

"He was talking to me, but you were the one he was..." Sho halted, blushing furiously.

"He insulted me?" she asked, her curiousity piqued. "Now I have to know."

"Lisker," Sho began, "was under the impression that we were... intimate."

"Really?" Cheetara said, puzzled. "Sho, you're not my type, but I don't see where the insult is, here."

"You want a direct translation," he said, resigned.

"I do."

"Okay. Lisker said that if I kept on sleeping with cats, I'd end up with fleas." Sho took a sip of water as though to wash the taste of those words from his tongue.

"He's quite the sexist, isn't he?" Cheetara realized she'd said the wrong thing when Sho winced. "Sho, your dream. I know it was about me."

"It wasn't... you know... about *us*..." His embarrassment was genuine, yet so was the fear beneath. Apparently he wasn't quite as innocent of sexual matters as she'd thought, yet that wasn't the root of the situation.

"I know you didn't win that fight, but you don't need to worry about me..."

"I do..." Sho immediately clammed up, mortified at his runaway mouth before she could add being a ThunderCat to the end of her reassuring statement. Cheetara took a deep breath, inwardly touched at Sho's concern. From the time they spent together as teacher and student of the Code of Thundera, she'd learned more about him than he likely realized. Cheetara knew he cared deeply for her (and was relieved to find that it was not in an amorous way), and for all the ThunderCats. They had all come to see Sho as a friend, as he had come to see them. Cheetara was more than willing to help him sort out whatever was plagueing him.

"I'm a ThunderCat..."

"That doesn't matter!" Sho yelped, again clamping his mouth shut too late.

"Sho, tell me," Cheetara said. "Tell me what you saw."

"I... I can't..."

"Tell me. Let it out." He was obviously disturbed by that dream. This had to be brought out into the open.

"Cheetara," Sho began, his voice beginning to shake, "You don't..."

"Yes, I do," she said, forcefully. "Tell me about your dream. I'm pretty good at interpreting them."

"Please, Cheetara, don't make me..."

"Enough, Sho," she admonished sternly. "Tell me."

"Okay," he replied after another deep breath. "I saw Lisker, and he was... he was... he was *raping* you!"

Cheetara remained silent at that. She was no stranger to people trying to force themselves on her. She stayed quiet, wanting to hear more of his dream. Tears began to fall from his eyes as he struggled to put words to what he had seen.

"I... I couldn't stop him," Sho whimpered. "I screamed and screamed, but he wouldn't stop." Sho's face glowed a bright red with humiliation. "The Guyver... it wouldn't come... It just... it just stood there, staring at me!" Cheetara slid over to him and placed her hands on his trembling shoulders. "When..." Sho took a deep, shaky breath. "When you busted the lenses of his megasmasher, I saw into his mind. Cheetara, he wants payback for what you did."

"Your dream was based around what you saw in his mind, then. Nothing more."

"He'll come for you," Sho said, his voice steady once more. "Maybe even before he takes another crack at me."

"Then we'll be ready. Look at me, Sho." He slowly raised his tear-reddened eyes to hers. "ThunderCats are used to danger and enemies holding violent grudges against us. And as for someone trying to force himself on me, I've had to fight men like that off before. Whatever sick desires he has for me won't be fulfilled. Count on it." Her voice betrayed none of the cold horror she felt at Sho't recounting.

"He was right about one thing," Sho said at length. "I'll never be able to win unless I learn how to fight. *Really* fight. Like Panthro."

"Sho, Panthro has years of experience."

"I know I can't be a match for him," without the Guyver, he didn't say, "but I need to learn. I won't let that nightmare become a reality."

"I know you won't," Cheetara replied, her voice gentle and reassuring. After a soft squeeze, she released his shoulders.

"Any change?" Sho asked, looking over at the still-comatose Lion-O.

"None," Cheetara said, her voice heavy with emotion. "He will recover, he just needs time." Neither spoke for several moments as they contemplated Lion-O's condition. Cheetara could still feel the terror of the thought of losing him. The Lord of the ThunderCats. The man she had come to love after the violent loss of Cougrix. The bearer of many of their hopes and dreams. She shook herself free of those dark thoughts. Dwelling on such would lead only to madness. "It's nearly first light," she said.

"I get the hint," Sho said with a smile. "I'll join you once I get some decent clothes on." The pair left the infirmary, hearts heavy with their own separate feelings of anxiety. Had they remained a few minutes more, the involuntary flexing of Lion-O's hand would have made a dramatic change to their emotional landscapes.

In the nex episode:

The train carrying the ThunderCats, Mutants, and Guyvers One and Two gains momentum, barrelling along tracks that lead only to chaos. A new life begins, another rises again, and two more find freedom. Will Myrlha and Salvador survive the perilous journey across untamed terrain? Will the ThunderCats be able to free their fellow countrymen and people of Third Earth? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	18. Escape

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Eighteen

"Both mother and child are well," Analee said as she exited the hut into the dew-soaked morning. The newborn Wollo was currently nursing at his mother's breast as the pair lay on a hastily-made bed of furs and blankets. The birth itself had gone smoothly and without incident, despite the unusual circumstances of her having been brought here. "I understand you brought her here?" she asked of the Bolkin who stood flanked by two Maidens.

"I did," Bundan replied. "She was saying some strange things as I was bringing her."

"Such as?" Analee asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I am not familiar with the Wollo language," Bundan explained, "beyond a few words and phrases."

"If you don't mind?"

"Not at all." Bundan took a deep breath, recalling all he could from Rosa's ramblings. "El Diablo... That means the demon.. and something about the ground swallowing people. I apologize, but that is all I can decipher."

"Thank you," Analee said quietly. "It is enough." Dyme, she thought. "Kayla!"

"Yes?"  
"Send word to the ThunderCats. Tell them to meet us at Salvador's village this afternoon. Bundan, will you remain?"

"I have little choice," the Bolkin replied. "Until sunrise, travel is just too dangerous."

"Very well."

Breakfast had gone well. As for the council session, he had no idea. The lessons concerning the Code of Thundera had been skipped.

Pain, however, was quite demanding as a kick from Panthro landed against his ribs and sent him sprawling.

"Owww..." Sho groaned as he regained his feet.

"Say, you sure about this?" Panthro asked, a look of concern on his face. "You don't look so hot."

"I'm... sure..." Sho gasped as he rose once more. "Gotta be ready... for Lisker."

At this rate, the only thing you'll be ready for is another stay in the infirmary, Panthro didn't say. The rising sun had begun beating down on the desert in which the Tower of Omens stood, and the temperature would only climb as the day wore on.

The kid had drive, Panthro had to give him that, and a little potential. But, Thunderian martial arts had been created with Thunderians in mind. Humans had little chance of surviving the harsh training required.

Maybe, Panthro thought, that's where I'm going wrong? It made sense. Sho was - armor notwithstanding - a human. Without the Guyver to protect him, he was extremely vulnerable.

"I'm ready," Sho said, panting heavily. "One more time."

"No," Panthro replied. "I think you've had enough."

"I can go another round."

"And you can end up back under Pumyra's care," Panthro replied as he reached for a pair of towels which rested on a handy rock. One he draped about his massive shoulders, the other he threw to Sho. He caught it in his left hand and began to wipe away the sweat. "I gotta reassess this whole training thing."

"You mean I don't have a chance, right?" Sho asked sharply.

"Not that. It's just that you're not Thunderian. I have to tailor the training to something you can handle without that armor." Panthro was willing to let the tone of Sho's voice slide. This once, anyway.

"Oh...yeah, didn't think about that. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Panthro recalled the details of his dream which Cheetara had shared with him just after breakfast. Sho needed to learn how to fight, and fast, if he was to have any chance of winning another fight against Lisker. Guyver Two, he thought. So where's Guyver Three?

"I take it that training's going well," Tygra said as he apprroached the two sparring partners.

"About as well as can be expected," Panthro said as he toweled off.

"In other words," Sho added, "I'm getting my butt kicked."

"No offense, but I expected as much," Tygra said with a laugh.

"I can see why," Sho said. "Same time tomorrow?"

"You sure like pain, kid."

"Call me a masochist," Sho repled.

"Sho, I'd like you to come with me."

"What's up?" Sho and Panthro asked at once.

"I just got word from the Warrior Maidens," Tygra explained. "It seems that a nearby Wollo village has been attacked. Dyme appears to be the culprit."

"How bad?" Panthro asked.

"From what I've been told, the Wollos have been taken rather than killed."

"Taken?" Sho asked. "For what?"

"Slave labor," Panthro snarled.

"Slaves? Wollos? From what I've seen..."

"Mutants don't care who they exploit," Tygra said by way of explanation.

"Got it. Ready when you are, Tygra."

"Good. Let's go."

Kayla shook her head in amazed horror at the remains of the Wollo village which rested at the edge of the Unicorn Forest. Though she had visited this particular Wollo settlement only a few times in her youth, the architecture had stuck in her memory with its walls and graceful archways.

"Damn..."

The muttered curse from Sho - who stood to her right along with the ThunderCat Tygra - summed up her feelings precisely. Homes were upturned in the ruined earth, their foundations exposed to sunlight as though the firm dirt beneath her bare feet had been made into churning liquid.

"They're building another Castle Plun-Darr, aren't they?" Kayla asked.

"It would seem so. Have any other settlements been attacked?"

"No, Tygra. At least, none that we know of."

"Hmm... Indeed troubling."

Sho gasped slightly as an idea - or perhaps a fragement of memory- came to him.

"Tygra. Kayla. Look about for any strange footprints."

"Strange footprints?" Kayla asked.

"Anything that doesn't look human," Sho explained hurriedly as he locked his eyes on the ground. Vague though they were, memories were coming back from this disaster.

"Why?" Tygra asked.

"Dyme didn't work alone," Sho explained as he searched between two overturned houses. "He had two friends, name of Somlum and Aptom." After a half hour, Tygra and Kayla reported no signs of what he had searched for.

"So, this means that Dyme is working alone after all?"

"Sure looks that way," Sho replied, dubious. "Maybe I was wrong. But, why would Mumm-Ra only bring one back?"

"With him," Tygra began as he drew up beside Kayla and Sho, "there's really no telling. Thank you, Kayla, for bringing this to our attention." Tygra's voice barely hid the weariness that tried to drag him to the dirt.

"No problem, Tygra." With that, she turned and bolted into the woods as though the devil himself was lurking in the ruined Wollo village. Sho gazed about the destruction with a shiver racing up his own spine. Though he had never before set foot in Salvador's hometown, the image of hundreds of lives being swept away in an instant imparted a creeping horror all its own.

"Looks like we need to explore a bit more of our new world," Tygra said distractedly.

"Huh?"

"Oh! Nothing, Sho. Let's head back," Tygra said just as Snarfer's shrill, extatic voice blared over the ThunderClaw's comm system.

"Tygra! Come in! Come in!"

What now? he thought as the two charged the waiting aircraft. Tygra slammed the transmit button as he leapt into the pilot seat. "Tygra here. What is it, Snarfer?"

"GREAT NEWS! YEP! BEST YET!"

"Well, what is it?" Tygra asked, annoyed and more than a little hopeful.

"It's Lion-O!" With those two words, Tygra felt an immense weight leave his shoulders and the shadow retreat from his heart. "He's awake!"

"Hell yeah!" Sho hooted, pumping his fist into the air.

Thank Jaga, Tygra thought. "Wonderful news, Snarfer! We'll return immediately. Tygra out."

"I'd say things are looking up, after all," Sho said, a smile beaming from his face. Despite the horrid sight of the Wollo settlement, he couldn't help but be relieved.

"I agree," Tygra replied with a grin of his own. "Now, how about I show you how fast this thing really goes?"

"Strapped in and ready, boss."

Oh, yeah, Sho thought as the ThunderClaw reached altitude and shot off in the direction of the Tower of Omens at near-sickening speed, I *definitely* prefer my method of flying...

"And how are we feeling?"

"I can't vouch for you," Lion-O croaked weakly, "but I feel like crap."

"Then that's an improvement," Pumyra said in reply.

"Heh. Bedside manner."

"What about it?"

"Get one, would you?" Hearty laughter filled the room at his quip, and even Pumyra gave a chuckle, he noticed. "How long have I been out?"

"About two days," Panthro said, relief beaming from his eyes.

"Don't think you can just charge out of bed," Pumyra admonished. "You're still on the mend."

"I know," Lion-O replied, albeit reluctantly. "Has anything happened?"

"What did I just tell you?" Pumyra said, staring directly into his eyes.

"I'm still Lord of the..."

"Not at the moment," Pumyra replied primly. She knew this would happen. "Tygra is doing a fine job in your stead."

"I'm," a pause, a twinge of discomfort crossing his face, "sure he is. Still..."

"Still nothing," Pumyra said, her tone brooking no argument. "You are still recovering. Like it or not, this bed is home until I say otherwise."

"She's right," Cheetara added. Lion-O looked up at her and drank in the love radiating from her beatiful face. "In terms of the king's health, only the Court Physician can boss around the Lord of the ThunderCats."

"And I *will* do so," Pumyra added with a glare that didn't hide the joy she felt. "Get used to this bed, Lion-O, because it'll be home for awhile yet."

"Can I at least get something to read?" He noticed the surprised looks on the other ThunderCat's faces.

"I can definitely arrange that," Pumyra replied, satisfied that her patient had been well and truly cowed. "All your vital signs are reading improvement." Her face softened considerably. "With your strength, a little care, and some rest, you'll be back on your feet in no time."

"I never had a doubt," Lion-O said with a smile as the infirmary door slid open. "We were pretty far away from the Tower, though. How'd you get me back so fast, anyway?"

"You have this young man to thank for that," Tygra's voice said. Lion-O looked to the opposite side of the infirmary as his friends parted to see Tygra and a very embarrassed-looking Sho enter.

"Ah, geez..." he said, face glowing like an ember. "All I did was bring you here. Pumyra and Tygra did the real work..."

"Modest to a fault," Panthro muttered with an amused shake of his head. For a moment, he wondered if the human knew the first thing about pride. "Don't sell yourself too short, kid."

"I'm glad you're gonna be okay," Sho said with a genuine smile.

"You and me both," Lion-O quipped, and the infirmary was filled with laughter for several moments. "If you all don't mind, I'd like a word with Tygra." Various words of assent were uttered as the other ThunderCats and Sho took their leave.

"You're certainly looking better," Tygra said as he slid a chair to Lion-O's bedside and slid into it.

"How're you holding up?" Lion-O asked after casting a quick glance at the Sword on Tygra's hip.

"Rather well. The Tower is still in one piece, as you can see."

"Heh... ow... What's happened since the ambush? Any clues to the Mutant Army's hideaway?"

"You should really worry about recuperating..."

"I also need to worry about the ThunderCats. Mumm-Ra's not going to wait around for me to get back in fighting form, and I can't afford to spend too much time playing catch-up once I do."

Tygra closed his eyes in consideration. Lion-O had a valid point, and he couldn't find any credible arguement against it. That thought, in itself, was practically mindblowing. Lion-O had never been the debative type, and here he was all of a sudden maneuvering him into a corner. How you've grown, Lion-O, he thought with as much of a swell of pride as he'd allow.

"The past two days have been... eventful," Tygra replied at lenght.

"Eventful?" Lion-O said with a raised eyebrow. Tygra began his account with the Western Berbils arriving with various foodstuffs, current status of the HoverCat, restored stocks of medicines, and ended with an abridged version Cheetara and WilyKit's hunt with the Warrior Maidens. "So," he said when Tygra's report concluded, "how was any of that 'Eventful'?"

"Before the hunt began," Tygra started, dreading what he was about to tell Lion-O, "The party we sent to the Warrior Maidens encountered a new enemy."

"Another one? They seem to be coming out of the woodwork these days. What can you tell me?"

"Perhaps this should wait until you've gotten some more rest."

"Tygra, I have to know. Please."

"Very well. His name is Oswald Lisker, a human."

"That doesn't sound so..."

"He also possesses a Guyver."

Tygra, for a moment, thought Lion-O's eyes would surely burst from their sockets. Before the wounded ThunderCat could interrupt, Tygra gave a brief overview of the fight from what he had seen and Cheetara had told him.

"She *did* that?" Lion-O asked in stunned amazement. "Cheetara doesn't lack for courage, that's for sure. But, Sho doesn't look banged-up at all."

"The Guyver seems able to heal its wearer rather rapidly," Tygra explained. "Sho was fully healed and asleep by the time the ThunderStrike returned here. Pumyra took samples of the substance his armor secreted."

"Does she think she can replicate its healing ability?"

"She hasn't begun her analysis yet, but that's what I'm thinking." And if she could, the possibilities were staggering!

"I hate to interrupt," Pumyra's voice called as she entered the infirmary with a stack of books. "Lion-O wanted something to read, so I raided your collection here. I hope you don't mind, Tygra."

"Not at all," he responded, an eyebrow raised at the title printed on the spine of the top book. "Thunderian Law and History" was its title.

"Wow," Lion-O said when she placed the books in the chair Tygra just vacated. "How long am I gonna be in here again?"

"Not long enough to read all this," Pumyra answered. "But I figured you could use a little variety."

The sounds of picks and hammers were muted here, lights which had been hastily strung by the other slaves just barely reaching them. He'd said the fissure was difficult to find, that they'd know they were near when the air became a little fresher. None of them had spoken more than a few words about it since that night. The plan had been made, and now they would hopefully pull it off.

Myrlha kept her paces short to accomodate the much smaller Salvador as they slinked through the now-inky blackness. They were travelling by feel, now, even her cat-like eyes unable to make out any shapes. While Thunderians, by and large, had excellent vision even at night, the utter lack of any light in the deepening cave would have defeated any unaided eye.

Myrlha grimly ignored the muted wail of agony far behind as a Mutant employed a whip. Silently, she swore that she would succeed, and none of them would ever be beaten again.

She paused, sniffing the dank air and finding a trace of freshness to it. Her heartbeat quickened with excitement as she realized they were getting close. She readjusted the small bundle of supplies the others had saved up, stolen, or granted... favors... to their captors for and had managed to hide in the caverns. It wasn't much, and it was mostly water and some scraps of food, but its weight was a comfort. Included was a light which Laheela had managed to nick from the chambers of one of the Mutant captains, and Myrlha didn't want to consider what she'd had to do to obtain it. She'd heard of what Primor used to do to her.

"Do you smell that?" Salvador asked, his voice barely enough for a whisper.

"Yes. We're getting close." She held the flashlight ready, yet dared not use it. She followed the scent further into the dark, creeping now, hands searching the craggy and jagged surface. She let out an involuntary gasp of surprise when her hands suddenly encountered open space. With a trembling grasp, she switched on the light and had to squint at the sudden glare.

"That's rather small," Salvador whispered as he stared into the opening. The light shone through the fissure and onto a wall at the far end. "Finding this was a one in a million discovery."

"Let's hope our luck holds," Myrlha replied as she stepped into the narrow gap. Gently, she sidled through into the empty chamber beyond and nearly fell flat when she reached the edge. Shining the light again, she saw the floor of the cavern was only a few feet down and the jump was easily made. She turned and gave word to Salvador and a few moments later helped the Wollo onto the floor.

"So far, so good," he said while Myrlha examined the walls with the light. The stone, she saw, was actually blocks mortared together. Along the floor was a deep recess, and various tunnel entrances dotted the walls.

"No way this was made by nature," she opined. "Wonder who built it?"

"Humans had many cities," Salvador said amid the clinking of his manacles. "Legends say they even had towers that touched the very sky."

"These humans, are any around now?"

"Oh, yes, but their knowledge is long gone. No one knows what happened so many centuries ago. I need your hands for a moment."

"Huh?" Myrlha turned to see Salvador with his manacles in one hand and a pick with an angled point in the other. She set the light on the floor between them and reached toward him. "You do this often?" she asked as he set to work freeing her.

"No. I'm just an old Wollo who's worn chains a time or two in his life. I never took to it."

"Not that I blame you," Myrlha chuckled as her right, then left, wrists were freed

"We should take these with us," Salvador said as he placed the shackles in a coat pocket. "If the Mutants find that fissure, we don't want them knowing we used it to escape."

"Good thinking." Myrlha was really coming to like the Wollo. The two of them gathered their things and followed the air currents to what was hoped to be a viable exit.

"We'll have to travel at night for awhile, until we're beyond range of any Mutant search parties."

"I agree. We should sleep in shifts, too." Myrlha and Salvador tavelled on in silence for several moments through what would have shocked the two of them if they'd known it was once a sewer. Past corners and through long stretches of near-silent concrete tunnels, their trek seemed interminable. Finally, after an hour, she could stand the silence no longer. "The ThunderCats, who leads them? Does Jaga still hold that title?"

"I know Lion-O sometimes speaks with a spirit he calls that name, but I've never seen him."

"Lion-O?" Myrlha asked, incredulous. "King Claudus' son?"

"He does," Salvador said. "A rather fine man, I say."

"I'm sure he is." Lion-O was a boy when Thundera was destroyed, she thought. Well, it's been some years since then. As they walked and spoke, the air became cleaner and cleaner until the light of day beckoned at the far end of another tunnel they'd chosen. The ceiling had collapsed, allowing the sun to peek into its depths.

"No noise," Salvador noted as they warily approached.

"None," Myrlha agreed. She eased upward, testing each hold on the ruined mass before moving to the next. Her head crested the rim of the hole, eyes sharply examining every detail. Far into the distance, but not far enough for her liking, she could see the gathered Mutant ships. No sound of voices or machines reached her. "It's clear," she said as she clambered down, "but I can still see the ships. Looks like we're not going anywhere just yet."

"Then, we wait," Salvador agreed, sitting down to the sound of his knees popping. "I'm not as young as I used to be, anyway. I could use a rest."

"You kept up pretty well."

"I'd do far better on a burro. Or any mount for that matter."

"I wonder how far from the ThunderCats we are?"

"A good ways, I'd say. Even so, we can't leave here until nightfall. I don't know about you, but I could use a nap."

"Rest, friend," Myrlha said. "I'll wake you in a few hours."

Lion-O closed the book of laws and history, feeling nauseatingly well informed. He'd just finished the chapter regarding the history of Vanguards, non-Thunderians who had done great deeds for Thundera and her people, and noticed that the sky outside his window was pitch dark. Despite the hour and his own weariness, he could not close his eyes long enough to sleep.

He knew he was in no condition to leave his bed, let alone resume leadership of the ThunderCats. He also knew that Tygra was doing well in his place. He should, therefore, have nothing to worry about.

Yet his mind, unheeding of that little fact, kept dredging up things to worry about. Things which had once seemed trivial were now smacking of vital importance. Every detail of daily life looked as though life and death depended on his decision. He had even tried defying Pumyra by getting out of bed. His one attempt didn't even get him as far as the floor.

"You seem very troubled." Jaga's voice preceded his appearence, accompanied by the usual flare of blue light which coalesced into his ephemeral image. "You have many reasons to be."

"Everything's happening so fast," Lion-O replied. "It seems like a new enemy is showing up every other day." He gazed at the spirit of his mentor and friend and an idea came to him. Jaga hadn't been called "The Wise" for nothing. "Can you tell me about them? If I know where Mumm-Ra's pulling them from, maybe I can stop him from reviving more."

"Unfortunately," Jaga began, lancing Lion-O's hopes with that one word, "I know very little of Second Earth and Sho's old adversaries. The only one who can tell you about them is him, and he has yet to regain his memories."

"I see." Time for a different approach. "Can you tell me about Grune? Why did he turn?" Lion-O studied Jaga's face as it fell.

"I can tell you volumes about him," Jaga replied at length.

"I've got all night."

"Very well." Jaga paused for a moment, as though gathering himself. "As you know, there are many clans of Thunderians. Before the ThunderCats were established and the Nobility chosen as the governing body, we were fragmented and violent. Wars between clans were common, and fought over the most trivial things."

Lion-O nodded his understanding, recalling history lessons from Tygra.

"After the Time of Union, there were some clans who refused to align with the new society. The Sabre clan was chief among them."

"That was Grune's clan?"

"Quite right. The Sabres were extremely proud, nearly to the point of arrogance. They valued strength above all else, and saw joining a united people and being subject to government as an insult. As such, they held to their own ways and lands and had little to do with the rest of Thundera."

"So, they just kept to themselves?" Lion-O asked. "They didn't try to conquer the other clans?"

"The Sabres knew they had no chance against a united front," Jaga explained, "and while our technologies advanced, theirs grew stagnant. The Sabre clan were still using tools of stone and bronze while the rest of our world was developing newer medicines and sciences. This was so for thousands of years."

"Okay, so how did Grune come to join the ThunderCats?"

"It was in the waning days of your grandfather's reign," Jaga said, "and your father had been recently annointed Lord of the ThunderCats. I served as his second, and head of Council. On the day I first encountered Grune, I was heading a search party trying to find a suspected landing site for a Mutant strike force. We were ambushed, and were taking heavy losses when he appeared."

"Grune saved you?" Lion-O asked. "I don't believe it!"

"Oh, he did at that. Grune saved many of us that day. Grune had a fighting instinct that was unmatched by many on Thundera. Beneath his brute strength, I later discovered, was a fierce intelligence. Most importantly, however, Grune showed interest in the lands beyond those of his clan. He wanted more for himself, and his people, than they did."

"So, he just joined up?"

"No, Lion-O. It took some time to coax him into entering our society. I made it my mission to bring Grune into the fold, as it were. That," Jaga sighed, "may have been one of the worst mistakes of my life."

"You gave him a chance," Lion-O replied. "That's not a mistake."

"I brought Grune into a society that mistrusted his kind, and held them in contempt from their ignorance. He had to prove himself day in and day out, enduring frustration and humiliation, taunts and challenges. I stood by him as his friend and mentor as he adjusted to our way of life. Eventually, I convinced him to enlist in our military, thus giving him the rank of ThunderCat."

"So, Grune never held power on Thundera, then."

"Exactly. Given his great strength and fighting prowess, he soon made a great name for himself among soldiers. I saw this and thought that Grune had finally come into his own. With this, he would truly be part of Thunderian society. Grune rose through the ranks as your father attained the throne and wedded your mother. He and Claudis actually began to become friends as the years went by. Then he met Karra." Lion-O did a double-take at that.

"Grune... actually fell in love?!"

"Do not lump Grune into the caste of the archetypal villian," Jaga admonished. "Even though he turned, he was still a man. Karra was of the Ocelot clan, and her people had been reluctant to join. They had, however, as had all except the Sabres. She was a sort of kindred spirit for Grune, and every bit as dedicated and brave a warrior as he. Their courtship was rather... intense."

"Oh." There was nothing else to say about it.

"Karra, however, had another suitor. An Ocelot named Krynn. She had been promised to him by her family. By this time in our history, arranged marriages had been nearly abolished for their propensity to fail, yet no law had been drafted to eliminate the practice."

"And Karra never loved Krynn at all," Lion-O added.

"Correct. She had been selected for a scouting mission, and her remains were all that came back," Jaga explained. "The mission was to seek out new places for Thundrillium mining in the outlying mountains."

"An accident."

"It was believed so. Grune, on the other hand," Jaga said, closing his eyes and sighing, "was not convinced. He thought Krynn had her murdered for her love of him."

"That's insane!"

"It was then that I learned another fact concerning Grune. As one of the Sabre clan, he was prone to fits of incredible rage. In those times, he could become irrational, even paranoid. As such, he came to think her death had been caused by Krynn."

"He reacted."

"Yes. Grune was so convinced of Krynn's guilt that he killed Krynn with his own hands not much later."

"Krynn wasn't responsible, though."

"That... was never proven."

"What?"

"It is true. The circumstances behind the cave-in were suspicious, yet no evidence was ever found of foul play being involved. It if was a deliberate act, it had been done with cunning. Mutants would not have been so sublte, therefore the culprit would have to have been one of our own. But, again, no solid evidence was ever found."

"That didn't stop Grune, though."

"No. Grune was seen crushing the life out of Krinn with his own two hands. Naturally this led to Grune being stripped of his title as TunderCat. However, Grune managed to escape his guards. What I have to say from here is merely hearsay, but it may explain a thing or two."

"Go on..." Lion-O was beginning to see the pattern of Grune's fall from grace.

"We had alerted all soldiers to keep an eye out for Grune. Some managed to sight him, but none managed to apprehend him. From the pattern of sightings, we surmised he was returning to the lands of the Sabre Clan. Some weeks later, Grune had managed to sneak into a shipping facility. There he stole a transport and left Thundera."

"Why?"

"You must understand," Jaga began, "that until then I had no clue just how badly his experiences in Thunderian main society had affected him, just how unstable he truly was. He had lost everything, Lion-O. His love. His status. His friends that he had finally made. Even his own clan. On leaving them, they considered him unworthy of returning. Grune had absolutely nothing, when once he had everything. Rather than accept this as a consequence of his own actions, he chose to blame the society he had come to embrace, going so far as to renounce the Code of Thundera and betraying us all. Grune had departed months before he helped Ratar-O lead a devastating assault on our capital city. Grune still knew the security protocols, the access codes, the strengths and weaknessess of our military. His knowledge, coupled with Ratar-O's forces, nearly laid our capital to waste."

"But, you defeated him."

"Oh, yes. I challenged him personally. I felt at fault for all that had happened, both to him and to Thundera, and I sought to set it right. The battle was intense, and we lost many fine men and women, but in the end I managed to subdue him and our forces drove Ratar-O back. It was in this assault that your father had been blinded."

"That son of a..."

"There is no need for vitriol," Jaga said. "What is done cannot be undone. After the battle, Grune was convicted of treason. Therefore, he was sealed and banished to the depths of space to drift forevermore."

"So," Lion-O said, "how did Grune end up on Third Earth centuries ago?"

"That is a mystery that still plagues me," Jaga replied. "There are many things in the universe that defy explanation. Perhaps a wormhole, perhaps some other cosmic phenomena. It would be a fair guess that Mumm-Ra may have been responsible. I am afraid that there is just no way of knowing. From the path of destruction he left during his first life on Third Earth, and the devastation wreaked in his ghostly form not long ago, his mind is still unhinged. Grune is more dangerous now than he ever was before."

"Duncan told me a legend involving Grune," Lion-O said. "That he had been killed by a mightier warrior than himself. The legend indicated a Guyver."

"That may be so," Jaga admitted. Lion-O paused for a moment, another question which had been burning in his mind now rushing forth.

"Can you tell me one other thing?"

"Ask."

"Are there any other survivors?"

"Though we lost many of our kind in Thundera's destruction, yes. There are others. And you will encounter them, Lion-O, perhaps sooner than you think." With that, Jaga's ephemeral form faded into nothingness to leave Lion-O's heart racing and his mind reeling.

Other survivors? he thought. Where are they? What did he mean by that?

Tygra stared into the viewscreen in the Tower's control room as though he could call up the information he wanted by force of will. Each day that passed brought them no closer to the location of the Mutant Army, and their enemies closer to entrenching themselves. He felt time slipping through his fingers like loose sand, moving in its own inexorable pace toward a final showdown in which their fates would be decided. He ran a hand down his face in consternation, blowing a frustrated sigh.

Wherever the Mutants were hiding, he mused, it was not in range of the Cat's Eye. Given it's range, they had to be well and truly far away. Beyond Darkside at the very least. However, a Wollo village not far from the Tower had been raided and its people captured. There had to be other places closer to wherever they were holed up, so why there?

Another strike, Tygra realized as he sipped coffee. A message. We can nail you no matter where we are.

"You're up late," he said as the doors slid open and Panthro emerged with a glass bottle in hand.

"Couldn't sleep. What's your excuse?"

"Same here," Tygra replied as Panthro crossed to the Braille Board and set the bottle of amber liquid on the console between them.

"You don't look drunk."

"I'm not. I save this for special occasions. Lion-O regaining consciousness seemed special enough." Panthro uncorked the bottle and poured three fingers into the tumbler which had been resting at the top. "You look like you could use a belt, yourself."

"Just a single," Tygra said, offering his half-empty cup. "That stuff gives me a hangover from hell."

"You never could handle your liquor." on spiking Tygra's coffee, Panthro re-corked the bottle and held his tumbler up in toast. "To the ThunderCats."

"And to Lion-O's quick recovery," Tygra offered, clinking cup to glass and downing a swig. Already he could feel the tension leaving him. "Mumm-Ra hasn't been as quiet lately as I thought."

"Yeah?"

"The ambush," Tygra began, "Lisker, the Wollos, he's been behind all of it."

"That's not exactly news."

"Think about it." Tygra took another sip. "The attacks on Lion-O and Sho were intended to take out our two most powerful fighters."

"And both failed," Panthro replied once the tumbler left his lips. "But Lion-O's gonna be out of commission for awhile. What about the Wollos, then?"

"To let us know that we're vulnerable. To rub our noses in it."

"We may not know where the Mutant Army is," Panthro said, waving his free hand toward the viewscreen, "but we know where they're not. Maybe we should take the Feliner to scout around."

"And if it gets spotted? It's not exactly a warship."

"No, but she's got loads of speed. Besides, from orbit, it should be a cinch to find them."

"Do we have the Thundrillium for that?"

"For one attempt," Panthro grunted. "We haven't had much time to mine more."

"Then we should do so. If our supply runs out, we're defenseless."

"I'll get together a mining party in the morning." Panthro finished his drink with a long sigh. "We might as well top off all the tanks. There's a rich vein of Thundrillium not far from here."

"We tapped it while building the Tower," Tygra recalled.

"Yeah. Still plenty of high grade stuff down there. Just need to fire up the equipment."

"Weren't you working on an alternative fuel source?"

"Yeah. My notes are all in what's left of the Lair."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No problem." Panthro gathered his bottle and tumbler before fixing Tygra with a serious look. "Get some sleep. Brooding all night isn't going to help things."

"I know. Thank you."

"Looks like the shifts are over," Myrlha said as she peered over the rim one more time. Night had descended with alacrity, leaving pinpricks of starlight twinkling in the heavens above. The area near the Mutant ships was lit with electric lights rather than torches now. Their outlines in the sickly yellow glow loomed like dormant birds of prey, waiting for the hapless mouse to get careless.

Or Thunderian and Wollo escapees.

"I don't hear any skycutters," Salvador said from her left. "No nosedivers, either." Nor did they see any searchlights, or hear the sounds of a search party. "I don't think they've noticed we're gone."

"Let's hope it stays that way," Myrlha replied, hugging herself against the chill air. Her tattered clothing offered no protection against the drop in temperature, and clothing had been impossible to steal. "Time to put this hellhole behind us, friend."

"I couldn't agree more."

In The Next Episode:

Myrlha and Salvador begin their long and perilous trek to find the ThunderCats. Panthro heads a party to mine more Thundrillium, only to find danger deep beneath the earth. Will the trapped ThunderCats escape Mole Master's cave-in? Will Myrlha and Salvador succeed in their own efforts? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	19. Underground

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode 19

"So," Sho said around a yawn as the dawn broke over the horizon, "what does Thundrillium look like, anyway?"

"It's kinda gold colored," Panthro said as he placed the last of the portable equipment into the rear of the ThunderTank. "The ore will be sticking out of walls, floors, anywhere. Once we mine enough, we'll bring it back here for processing."

"How does it power your machines?" Sho leapt into the rear of the ThunderTank while Bengali took the passenger seat.

"Once processed," Panthro began, "the metal can then be used in our Thundrillium reactor. The energy released is what powers the Tower and our vehicles."

"This place is nuclear?" Sho asked, startled, as the tank's engine caught with a roar.

"Nuclear?" Bengali repeated, incredulous. "Who would be dumb enough to use nuclear material for power? It's crazy!"

"Apparently," Sho replied, "my people did."

Explains a lot, Panthro thought, altering course to the nearby mine entrance. "More memories comin' back, kid?"

"A little. I just wish I could remember something important. Something that could help us."

"Right now, you need to concentrate on what's ahead of us today," Panthro said in response. "Mining Thundrillium isn't exactly easy."

"It isn't complicated," Bengali explained, "but the work can be pretty rough."

"A little hard work never killed anyone," Sho replied.

"How about a lot of hard work?" asked Panthro.

"I'm pretty sure I'll survive. I lived through your training yesterday, remember?"

Panthro and Bengali both laughed as the ThunderTank rumbled on.

Lion-O woke to the scent of Snarf's meatfruit omelletes and coffee and opened his eyes to the sight of Cheetara approaching his bed with a tray of steaming dishes in her hands and a smile that could melt Hook Mountain in an instant.

"Breakfast in bed?" he asked around a yawn and gently sliding to a more upright position. "What's the occasion?"

"You not being able to come to the table," Cheetara replied, her smile not losing a bit of its wattage.

"Okay, you got me." he closed the book which rested on his chest and eyed his breakfast. "Looks like Snarf went all out."

"Lion-O need his nutrition," Cheetara began in a screeching imitation of Snarf's voice. "I don't care what Pumyra says about it, I've practically raised that boy and I know what's best!"

"HAHAHAHAHOWHAHAHAOWOWOW..." Lion-O took several deep breaths to calm the laughing fit. "That... that was really good! Spot on! I didn't know you could do impressions!"

"It's one of my many hidden talents," Cheetara said, chuckling. Silence reigned as Lion-O ate. Quickly. "You'll choke like that."

"I haven't eaten real food for two days." Lion-O finished the meal, his good arm working overtime. "Ahhh... I needed that. Thank you."

"Any time." Cheetara took the tray, placing it on the bedstand before easing herself lithely onto the available space. She took Lion-O's good hand in hers and breathed deep his scent as she kissed it. "I'm so happy you'll be all right."

"I love you. Have I told you that recently?"

"No, but being in a coma gets you off the hook."

"Good thing. Once I get out of here, I'm gonna make up for lost time."

"Ooh, I can't wait," Cheetara said in a husky whisper. Her fingers laced with his, and they stared into each other's eyes in silence for a time. She'd waited so long for this feeling, for him, and to have nearly lost him... it made seeing him in an infirmary bed seem far better. She decided to switch topics. No sense in getting revved up for something Lion-O was in no shape for. "I heard you talking to Jaga last night."

"Did you?"

"Unless you've begun talking to yourself."

"If I start answering myself, then we have a problem." Cheetara laughed out loud at that.

"I didn't stay to eavesdrop, though."

"Then you missed a lot," Lion-O said, gently squeezing her hand. "Jaga was pretty conversant last night."

"What about?"

"Well," Lion-O began gently pulling her forward. Cheetara didn't resist, resting her torso on the mountains of muscle which comprised his with a satisfied purr. "I asked him about our new enemies." Cheetara relaxed into his arms, ignoring the cast on his broken arm while his other hand stroked her hair. "For once, Jaga didn't know anything."

"That's a first," she said languidly. They were alone, and would be for some time from the promise Pumyra had given, and Cheetara planned to make the most of it. She ignored the more urgent of her drives, knowing that the urge to bear children would come again later. Being here with him like this, at the height of her reproductive cycle, was hard enough in his condition.

"So, I asked him about Grune. Jaga told me plenty." Lion-O explained, in brief, what Jaga had told him.

"I was still a cub then," Cheetara said, rubbing her head against his chest. "My parents never told me much about Grune. I see why, now."

"I wanted to understand him a bit more," Lion-O said, fingers intwined in her hair. "I think I do now. If I ever lost you..."

"You won't be rid of me easily, I promise you that."

"On that note..." He cupped her chin in his good hand, raising her eyes to his. "Tygra told me about how you jumped between Sho and that Lisker."

"I had to," she replied, a defiant light beginning to glimmer in her eyes.

"That took some serious guts," Lion-O replied. "And I love you all the more for it. But, please be careful." The defiance faded, and warmth replaced it.

He's still new at relationships, Cheetara reminded herself. He won't always know how to put his feelings into words. The fact that he tried just now was yet another sign of his rapid maturing. Smiling within, Cheetara decided to reward him by pressing her lips to his. As their kiss ended, she resolved not to tell him about the images Sho had received from Lisker's mind and the dream that developed from them. Lion-O had enough to deal with.

"You've spent the most time with him," Lion-O said, meaning Sho. "What's he like, really?"

"Well," she began, snaking an arm behind his neck, "I can't get any kind of psychic read on him. Whatever his armor is, it protects his mind whether he wears it or not."

"You're not sure of him?"

"On the contrary. He practically wears his heart on his sleeve. He's shy, even bashful, easily embarrassed. I had to stop teasing him about walking in on me naked that once."

"He did now?" Lion-O asked with a smirk. "Do I need to be jealous?"

"Heheh... No. He charged out of here so fast it made *me* blink."

"Coming from you, that's saying a lot."

"He couldn't even look at me for the rest of the day. He's very kind, rather polite as well. Makes me wonder what Second Earth humans were like. Sho's also a quick study. He even wants to offically embrace the Code of Thundera."

"Wow. I like him already."

"You're thinking about what Mumm-Rana said. That he's something called the Destroyer."

"He could be," Lion-O replied. "He has amnesia, after all. When he regains his memories..."

"He's gotten some of them back," Cheetara interjected. "He told us about monsters he called Zoanoids, and how that Dyme creature is one of them. From what I've seen and learned of him, Sho isn't some monster that'll destroy Third Earth. Mumm-Rana is wrong about him."

"I should spend some time with him, myself," Lion-O said, planting a chaste kiss on her cheek. He could feel himself stirring, and he tried desperately to ward it off. Now wasn't the time. If only he could convince his body of that... "I haven't really passed words with him since the council session after his fight with her."

"Fighting," Cheetara said, "is something he's trying to learn." She told him of the human's training with Panthro.

"Ouch," Lion-O said, wrapping his arms about her. "He must love pain. *I* had trouble keeping up with Panthro. Did that Lisker really beat him so badly?"

"If I hadn't intervened," Cheetara explain, "Sho would be dead now. Lisker will try for him again. Sho just wants to be ready."

"To defend you."

"What?"

"From what I've heard of Lisker," Lion-O said, "he likely has a grudge against you for what you did."

Damn, she thought. "Yes, you could say that." Cheetara explained, in detail, the dream Sho had involving her, himself, and Lisker. "This came from images Sho received from him via the psychic link only Guyvers have."

"He won't succeed," Lion-O said, darkly. "I'll make sure of it."

"So will Sho," Cheetara added, planting a kiss on Lion-O's unshaven cheek. She loved him, in many ways more than she had loved Cougrix. Cheetara couldn't help but feel that Lion-O was the one she was fated for.

"Your turn," Myrlha said as she yawned toward the brightening sky. Their trek had so far carried them over blasted and craggy rock with some scrub managing to cling to life in sparse patches. With the rising of the sun came rising temperatures which Salvador had advised resting through as best they were able. Having labored under the glare of Third Earth's sun, Myrlha had readily agreed to waiting the heat of the day out.

Salvador, for his part, rose from the dusty hardpack and stretched his small frame which was clad only in his pants and undershirt. The coat he wore was bunched on the ground, which he offered to her as a pillow.

"We are still a long way from the lands of my home," he said as Myrlha lay in the shade of a jagged outcropping of rock. "I saw stars out here that I would not have this time of year."

"About how long a walk do we have?" Myrlha asked as weariness caught up to her.

"At this rate..." Salvador stroked his snowy beard in contemplation. "At least a month. Maybe more."

"Great," she groused, balling the Wollo's coat into a somewhat comfortable shape. "Who knows how much the Mutants will have built by then?"

"There is some good news, however," Salvador said. "I'm beginning to smell forest not far from here. Once the sun starts to set, it will take only a few hours to reach the trees. Food should be abundant at least."

"Mmm-hmmm." Weariness was dragging her down fast, and thoughts of whatever meat scampered in the trees made her empty stomach growl in anticipation. Myrlha drifted into sleep to waiting dreams of dinner on the hoof and having a full belly for the first time in what seemed like forever.

*SWING*

*THACK*

*SWING*

*THACK*

Sho allowed the rhythm of the pickeaxe to guide his mind into numb unawareness as the muscles in his shoulders ached and burned from exertion. Clumps of dirt and rock fell away from the golden-hued lump of Thundrillium ore he was laboring to free from its earthen bonds, each swing bringing him closer to pulling it loose. He worked as hard as he was able, and had already harvested several lumps of ore that were roughly the size of his head. Panthro had commented on them, saying with a smile that his efforts were appreciated, even though the two ThunderCats were leaving him in the dust.

So what if I'm not built like Panthro or Bengali, Sho thought as he brought the pick to bear again. I'll do everything I can even if I can't keep up with them. Yet again, Sho considered summoning the Guyver in order to merely rip the ore from the shaft's walls despite Panthro's admonishment that he not use it.

"You can't depend on that armor for everything," he'd said as Sho had selected his tools. "Working with your hands builds character. It builds strength, too, so think of this as more training."

Images of his nightmare returned unbidden, causing a shiver of horror to race up his spine. He banished them with some difficulty, the thoughts of what Likser had been doing to Cheetara's prone and helpless form making his stomach churn. With grim determination, he swung again and again, imagining a different face with each strike of the pickaxe.

*THACK*

Lisker, leering down at his victim.

*THACK*

Mumm-Ra, cackling as the Berbil village was laid to ruin.

*THACK*

Dyme, roiling the earth beneath.

*THACK*

Lisker again, looming before him with megasmasher primed and ready.

*THACK*

An abomination, ten feet tall and constructed of bulging muscle beneath scaled green skin. Lines of spikes on each side of its gargantuan head with twin tendrils hanging to its back. Sickly yellow eyes glared from beneath a single horn, above a mouth lined with razor-sharp fangs.

(Gregol)

*THACK*

Cold, calculating eyes above a sharp nose and a waterfall of facial hair. The scalp was bald, distorted by a glimmering red organic crystal in the forehead.

(Valkus)

*THACK*

Willa, Nayda, both dead, the armor is why, Mumm-Ra wants it he can't have it, and he kills and kills while I fight in vain, why did they have to die...

*THACK*

Cheetara, oh, why her, chained and beaten and bloody, dragging breath through nose caked with dried blood and agonized whimpers escaping the strap tied across her mouth, Lisker howling with laughter and demented glee, chained to the wall, I can't transform, why won't...

"SHO!"

"GYAH!" Sho jerked back from Panthro's hand on his shoulder, pickaxe clattering to the floor of the mineshaft. Reality reasserted itself, showing the lump of ore he had extracted from the wall and the gouges his wild strikes had left in the wall surrounding the gaping hole. His arms and torso were on fire from his constant swinging, breath coming in great gasps. "Oh... Sorry. Kinda... lost myself."

"Lost yourself?" Panthro asked with a look of confusion on his face. "Looked like you wanted to kill something."

"Guess I just got into it a little too much," Sho replied meekly, humiliated at his loss of control. "I kept imagining Mumm-Ra's face each time I swung."

"Good motivator," Panthro said, "but don't go overboard." He paused for a moment as Sho hefted the chunk of Thundrillium into the wooden railcart. "Picturing Lisker, too?"

"Yeah." His pile larger by one, Sho reclaimed his pick and selected another.

"Cheetara told me about that dream you had." Sho's arms froze in the act of raising the pick. "Sounded rough."

"It was. It's not gonna come true, either. I promise you that."

*THACK*

"So," Panthro began, swinging his own, larger, pick with enough force to shatter the wallspace around his chunk of Thundrillium, "who's Gregol?"

"Huh?"

"You said that name out loud when you were going ape on the wall," Panthro explained. "You said somehting like 'Barcas', too."

"Valkus," Sho replied, the haze around his memories clearing slightly. "He was a..."

"Zoanoid?"

"No. He was something else. A... " It came to him, briefly, like a flare exploding in his skull. "Zoalord."

"Zoalord? Sounds nasty."

"It is. I can't recall much about them, but they controlled Zoanoids."

"Jaga's cape, how many of them were there?"

"Twelve... I think."

"And how many Zoanoids were there?" Panthro asked as he bent to lift the Thundrillium he'd liberated.

"Hundreds..."

"Oh."

"...of thousands," Sho finished.

"You have got to be yanking my chain, here. How could twelve Zoathingies control that many of anything?"

"They were powerful," Sho replied, head throbbing as fragments of memory began to surface. "Zoanoids... couldn't resist orders from a Zoalord... Bred to be unable to..."

"Easy there, kid," Panthro said as he placed a steadying hand on Sho's trembling shoulder. "Just how powerful were these Zoalords, anyway?"

"I... Even with the Guyver, I couldn't take one alone."

Panthro stared down at him in stunned silence. From what he'd seen of the Guyver's power, he didn't want to consider anything that could take *him* down!

"You still won, it seems," Panthro said once he was sure his voice wouldn't betray him.

"There's some way," Sho began, the images already being sucked back into the abyss of his damaged memory, "to make the Guyver stronger. I... damnit I just can't remember!"

Make the Guyver stronger? Panthro thought, amazed. How in Jaga's name was that possible? And is it actually a good thing?

"Gottaburrowgottaburrowdigdig dig..."

"What the hell was that?" Sho asked, startled at the jumbled words from above his head.

"Mole People," Panthro replied, nunchaku in his hands and ready. "I don't get it, why are they out here?

"Panthro!" Bengali shotued as he ran to join them. "what's going on? I thought those mole guys didn't dig out here!"'

"Times change, I guess," Panthro said as the rapidly spoken words increased in cadence and volume. "Either way, it's not safe down here. Who knows what those digging idiots have done to..." His words were drowned out by the rumble of shifting rock and tumbling dirt, the floor shuddering violently as the ceiling rushed down to join it.

I guess I'd better get used to this smell, Lisker thought as he stepped into the glare of the morning sun. All around him, Mutants were herding slaves (all of them completely alien to him) to assigned work areas to further the construction of whatever fortress they were building. He snorted in derision at his supposed new allies as they grunted and bellowed, little more than brutes with some advanced technology. They didn't even bother with hygene, which he had discovered much to his dismay that morning when he found his quarters rather lacking in showering facilities.

He allowed his mind to drift back to his previous battle, and to the feline woman who had foiled him. Lisker saw every curve of her clearly, each detail committed to memory. How had she followed them to that gorge, anyway? How had she been fast enough to stop him? He had underestimated her, that was certain, and she'd taken advantage of it. Looked at in that context, could he really hold her at fault?

Of course you can! cried a mad, sadistic voice which he had dealt with since adolescence. She got in the way! Lisker tuned out that voice, as he had ever since he had emabarked on the journey to manhood. The simple truth was that she had done what - if their positions had been reversed - he would have.

Cheetara, he thought, letting her name echo in the confines of his skull. He wasn't sure if he hated her or admired her.

"GET UP!" The outraged roar snapped him from his fugue state and drew his eyes to a sight that made his ire rise. A monkey-like man was towering above a small female... what did they call themselves?... Wollos, that's it. Lisker's feet were moving even as the monkey swung the whip again, cracking the tip between her thin shoulders and bringing a cry of torment from her strangely human-yet-rodent-like face. "GET UP! THERE'S FUCKING WORK TO BE DONE HERE! GET YOUR ASS OFF THAT GROUND OR I'LL SPLIT YOU UP THE MIDDLE YOU..."

"That's enough," Lisker said, his voice cold as ice as he caught the ape's wrist in mid-swing. The Wollo and the ape-man looked at him with undisguised disbelief as he held the offending appendage at bay.

"You stay out of this." The primate's words were subdued, eyes shining with rage and more than a little fear.

"Have you considered," Lisker began, aware of the crowd of Mutants gathering, "that they could work harder if you beat them less?"

"What do you know about it, human?!" the ape roared in defiance.

"Enough to know that people have trouble doing back-breaking work with someone whipping them into the ground at every opportunity," Lisker shot back, his ire turning into genuine anger. "You yell for her to get up while simultaneously beating her down. Tell me, how the fuck is *that* supposed to work?"

"Heh," the ape grunted, snatching his meaty hand out of Lisker's grasp. "You only talk so big 'cause of that Guyver thing. You wouldn't go five minutes with me without it."

"Oh?" I knew it... "Want to put that to the test, limp-dick?"

"You son of a bitch!" the apeman roared, bringing his whip to bear amid the shouts of his cohorts. Cries of "Kick his ass!" and "Mess that ugly face UP!" filled the air as Lisker squared off against his opponent.

He'll go with the whip, Lisker thought, correctly as it turned out when the ape swung the instrument of torture. He easily dodged beneath it, racing in close and delivering an elbow strike with all his available power behind it into the ape's chest just below the sternum. Rancid breath, forcibly exhaled, fouled Lisker's nostrils as he pressed the assault. His left hand shot upward to catch the ape's lower jaw in its palm and snap it upward to the sound of breaking teeth. With his opponent reeling in surprised pain, Lisker stepped nimbly back just before spinning about and delivering a roundhouse kick to the other's unguarded temple. The apeman fell to the hard soil in an unconscious heap to the disappointed groans of the watching Mutants.

"So," he said, barely breathing hard as he stared down the Mutants. "Any other takers?"

"What is the meaning of this?!" The crowded Mutants parted to allow Grune to draw near unhindered with Dyme close behind.

"Merely a disagreement," Lisker replied as Grune eyed the conked-out ape and him in turn. "As you can see, I've resolved it."

"Truly?" Grune replied, a hint of respect in his tone. "And what was this disagreement?"

"I found his management style to be... lacking."

"Is that so... Very well. Back to work, the lot of you!"

"Learn from this example!" Lisker called to their retreating forms. He knelt down to the manacled Wollo who stared up at him with wide eyes. "Come on," Lisker said, gently taking her chained hands, "up you get." On regaining her feet, she regarded him with a strange mixture of gratitude and outright bewilderment. "Go," he said, and she turned about to rejoin her enslaved people.

"Rather solicitous of you, Lisker," Grune sneered. "Unseemly showing such compassion for a slave, don't you think? Or perhaps you find Wollo women attractive?"

"I don't much care for slavery," Lisker said in response. "And these Wollos aren't my type."

"They can be rather... submissive," Grune said.

"Don't knock it 'till you've tried it, eh?"

"They do have their charms," Grune replied, "but they're nothing like a good Thunderian woman."

"What you do when you're hard up for some ass isn't my problem," Lisker said, thinking of Cheetara and his plans for her. Potential plans, he ammended. He wasn't as certain he wanted her as his plaything as he'd been before. Such had happened more than once, and mostly he'd been able to keep his darker urges in check. But still...

He'd still punish her for humiliating him.

"Breakfast was great. Thanks, Snarf."

"Rrrwll You need your strength, Lion-O," his former nursemaid replied, his voice fussy as always. "Folks say breakfast's the most important meal of the day for a reason, you know."

"I know, Snarf, I know," Lion-O said, humoring him. "But, don't put yourself out..."

"I'm not. I've been keeping everyone fed since we came to Third Earth. Whipping up your favorites from time to time is..."

Everyone's eyes snapped to the Sword of Omens on Tygra's hip as it growled without warning. Lion-O had to stop himself from reaching for it out of habit as Tygra brought it to his face.

"Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight!"

The Eye became as his own, and Tygra's heart skipped a beat at what it showed. Panthro and Bengali were digging themselves out of a pile of debris. How had the damn mine collapsed? He saw them extricate Sho...

"Oh, no..."

"What is it?" Cheetara asked, all business in an instant.

"The Thundrillium mine's caved in," Tygra replied.

"How are they?" Pumyra's voice was clipped, measured as though she were already treating injuries.

"Panthro and Bengali appear to be in good shape," he said, "but Sho looked badly wounded. His head was bleeding profusely."

"Even minor head wounds tend to bleed a lot," Pumyra opined. "He was unconscious?"

"Yes."

"Well, I won't know the extent of the damage until we get them out of there."

"Tygra."

"What is it, Lion-O?"

"Let Pumyra see through the Sword. Will it to show her what it showed you."

"I... I'm not sure I can..."

"Do it," Cheetara said. "If she knows what kind of wounds to expect, she'll be able to set up treatment faster."

"Very well." Turning to Pumyra, who nodded her assent, Tygra placed the crossbars of the Sword to her face and focused on showing her what he'd seen. The bars curved as the Eye linked with her, her own eyes glowing amber.

"Oh, no..." At the gloom in her voice, Tygra felt his own hopes fading. "It shouldn't bleed *that* much. Definite concussion, possible brain swelling. He needs treatment fast!"

"Everyone to the vehicles, now!" Tygra snapped as he replaced the Sword of Omens.

"Tygra."

"Yes?"

"Just focus what you want on the Eye," Lion-O said. "It will handle the rest." Tygra nodded once before charging out of the infirmary.

"That should do it," Bengali said as he finished applying the bandage to Sho's head. The human lay unmoving, breath coming in shallow takes and eyes closed as though asleep. Blood still seeped into the white gauze, staining it red in a growing splotch.

"Good job," Panthro said with a nod.

"My mate is a healer," Bengali replied. "You don't fall in love with a healer without learning a thing or two about the trade."

"Mate?" Panthro asked with a raised brow. "Congratulations, Bengali! Why haven't either of you said anything?"

"We wanted to wait until this lunacy with the Mutants was over." Bengali rose from his crouch, sniffing the air as he did.

"There's no fresh air coming in," Panthro said, confirming what Bengali's nose had told him. "We'd better get out of here."

"We're not gonna tunnel to the surface with just these." Bengali raised his pickaxe in emphasis. "Maybe the collapse opened another way topside."

"Whatever we do, we better do it quick." Panthro hefted Sho into his arms, careful not to stick him with the spikes on his suspenders. "If those Mole Men are out this far, then Mole Master can't be far away."

"Isn't he the one who's obsessed with that gold crap?" Bengali asked as they began their search for an escape route.

"Obsesssed is putting it mildly. You'd think he gets off on the stuff." As if on cue, a snarling cry echoed from the depths of the shaft:

"Where's my gold?! Where have they hidden it?!"

Panthro and Bengali traded a knowing look. Someone had told Mole Master there was gold out here and that the ThunderCats may have taken it for themselves, despite the rather well-known fact that they had no use or desire for it other than as currency when trade wasn't an option.

"Oh, hell," Bengali opined. Panthro agreed.

Their search for a means of escape was so far proving futile. Even Mole Men needed air, and as such they had to have burrowed vents to allow it into the subterrainian mazes they dug for what appeared to be the pure hell of it.

"Gottaburrowdigdigdig..."

"Do they ever stop with that?" Bengali asked in consternation as a pair of them scuttled across their path. Panthro didn't reply, saving his breath in the thinning oxygen. Mole Master's outraged roar reached them again, and he gritted his teeth at having to keep ahead of the gold-mongering freak. Avoiding fights went completely against the grain for the powerful warrior, but he knew that Sho would be a hindrance if they had to face the master of the Mole Men. They couldn't deal with that and protect the unconscious human at the same time with what breathable air remained.

If we don't find an air vent soon, Panthro thought, Asphyxiation'll snuff us before any mole does.

"They've got Mole Master on their tails," Tygra said after lowering the Sword. "They're keeping ahead of him, but none of the Mole Men have dug additional air ducts."

"Isn't that one of the first things they do?" Cheetara asked.

"I don't know what they're up to, but it'll take days to clear out all this rubble." Tygra let free a frustrated breath, the hilt of the Sword of Omens heavy in his right hand.

The Sword!

Tygra raised it skyward, focusing every ounce of his will into the Eye of Thundera. He felt it respond, power great and ancient flowing through his arm, into his heart and mind, and the words burst forth from his lips.

"Thunder... Thunder... THUNDER! THUNDERCATS, HOO!" The beacon burst forth from the Eye, yet into the congested mine entrance rather than the sky. Tons of soil and rock were shoved away as the signal bored a path that would end with...

Panthro's eyes lit with the Sword's glow as the signal hammered through the ceiling and took up the entire space before them. The enormous insignia of the ThunderCats faded from view to leave a tunnel of smoothed rock in its wake. Already, Panthro could hear the roar from the ThunderTank as it charged toward them. Tygra, it seemed, was getting a good handle on the Sword of Omens.

"Here," he said, "take Sho up to the tank."

"What about you?"

"I need to have words with a certain mole about screwing up our mineshafts."

"Be careful," Bengali replied as he took Sho and bolted toward the approaching vehicle. Within moments of the other's departure, the soil churned and the powerful form of Mole Master emerged.

"Where's my gold, ThunderCat?!" he roared, bullwhip leaving a trail of fire where it struck the wall.

"There's none of that here," Panthro said as he readied his nunchaku. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to mess with things that don't belong to you? Like our Thundrillium mines, for instance?"

"I was told you might have taken it! The gold is MINE!"

"Know what? To hell with this."

Cheetara eased the ThunderTank to a halt when a running Bengali appeared in the slice of darkness the headlamps illuminated.

"Where's Panthro?" Tygra asked as Bengali handed Sho to Pumyra, who immediately began trioge.

"He stayed behind. He wanted to have it out with that mole guy about wrecking the mine."

"He might need help. Bengali, get in the tank. Cheetara, get Sho back to the Tower, fast as the ThunderClaw can go. I'll head down and give Panthro a hand."

"Got it," Cheetara replied, throwing it in reverse as Tygra leapt clear and sheathed the Sword of Omens. From within the Claw he produced his whip, which felt far more comfortable in his hand, and raced onward.

"Where is it?!" Panthro dodged yet another strike from that whip, becoming more and more annoyed with each bellowed question about non-existent gold.

"Maybe it's up your ass somewhere, ever think of that?!" Snarling after his verbal barb, Panthro somersaulted forward over a strike from Mole Master's whip to land within easy striking distance of several pressure points on his larger opponent. Panthro wasted no time in taking advantage of them, delivering blow after blow that brought Mole Master to his knees in groaning defeat. Man, Panthro thought, did that ever feel *good*!

"Well." Tygra's voice brought Panthro spinning about, smiling. "And here I thought you'd need a hand."

"Against this punk?" Panthro jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the moaning Mole Master. "Nah. I appreciate the concern, though."

"The mineshaft is wrecked," Tygra observed. "It'll take months to dig another."

"At least we got a fair harvest before all this," Panthro replied. "Not as much as I wanted, but it'll do until we tap into one of the other sites." The two began traversing the gentle slope which led to the surface. "Getting pretty handy with that thing, Tygra," Panthro said, pointing to the Sword.

"Using it is... an experience."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a master of understatement?"

"One or two, perhaps."

"Riiight." As they neared the shaft of sunlight at the end of the tunnel, Bengali called down that the others had since departed for the Tower.

"Let's load up what we *did* get," Panthro said as glorious sun bathed his skin. He'd been down there too damn long for his liking.

Pain.

Excruciating pain.

That's what I'll inflict on him.

Oh, yes indeedy. Guyver One's gonna straight up fucking *HURT* before I kill him.

He rose from the bloodstained floor, breathing in the noxious fumes of the hellforge which would have made the stomachs of mortal beings empty themselves in outraged horror. They had remade him. They had searched the past, as Mumm-Ra had wanted, and had discovered the way to kill Guyver. Then, THEY had abandoned their original plan, and remade him into the instrument of Sho's demise.

"Hee hee hee hee..." his laughter, insane and arrogant all at once, rose from deep within his remade form. He doubted Mumm-Ra would recognize his faithful pooch. But, then again, he wasn't said pooch anymore.

The demon formerly known as Ma-Mutt had chosen a new name for himself. When the time came to kill the boy, he would reveal it. Until then, that moronic appellation would have to do.

In the next episode of One Last War to Fight:

Sho awakens, and is confined to the infirmary until Pumyra is satisfied he has healed. Lion-O and Sho talk, one getting to know the other. Myrlha and Salvador continue their journey west, growing closer and closer to the ThunderCats. Meanwhile, what manner of creature have the Ancient Spirits of Evil made from the vile Ma-Mutt? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	20. Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Twenty

"Bengali, you probably saved his life." Pumyra rested against him as the moon rose higher beyond their window. "Now," she began playfully, lightly running her fingers over his torso, "who taught you to bandage someone like that?"

"Let's just say you don't hold a monopoly on the whole bandage thing." Pumyra kissed him at the corner of his jaw, which she knew would drive him crazy. His tightening arm across her back was her reward. The expertly-applied gauze had staunched the flow of blood from Sho's wound enough that she wouldn't have needed to risk using separated Thunderian plasma to replace what he'd lost. Humans - and this baffled Pumyra to no end - had an aversion to surgical techniques and anything involving the transfusion of blood. The other intelligent races of Third Earth, save Berbils who had no blood or organic tissue, were leery of such things as well yet not to the extent of humans. The Warrior Maidens forbade it outright, even.

"I see I taught you well," Pumyra said as her desires mounted. It had been awhile for the two of them, given the care that Lion-O had needed.

"I learned from the best."

"It's amazing what that Bengal charm will get you," Pumyra replied, engaging his lips fully.

"You're amazing no matter what," Bengali said after taking a few breaths. From there on, niether had breath for words.

Cheetara looked up at the ceiling, lying restlessly in the bed she and Lion-O had shared only once. She could still detect his scent in the sheets, in the air, and she let it lead her mind to wandering. Memories of him over their time on Third Earth replayed themselves, showing Lion-O in moments of cockiness, of petulance, and of him becoming the man he now was and the king he would one day be. He was truly a man, now, in mind as well as in body. True, he lacked experience in some areas both regal and emotional, but he showed no sign of backsliding into the prince he used to be. For the first time since emerging from the suspension capsule and finding his had so catastrophically malfunctioned, she had complete faith that he would lead them into a new era on this world. The Annointment Trials had changed him so much, and this newest battle ever so much more, she'd had no reservations about giving herself to him. None at all.

She was somewhat surprised to see that her mind wasn't the only thing wandering as she felt her hand kneading a breast. Cheetara smiled gently, letting her mind and her body follow their path to release. One more time like this, then.

"Owwww..."

"Feeling okay?" asked the friendly voice to his right. Sho opened his eyes to the reduced lighting of the infirmary with his head feeling ready to explode and limbs like limp noodles.

"Lion-O?"

"That's right. Looks like we're bunkmates for awhile."

"How... how did I get here?" Sho tried to rise, and his senses informed him by way of the world spinning violently that getting out of bed was not advisable.

"Cheetara and Pumyra brought you here after the mine collapsed," Lion-O said in reply as the room slowed its rotation. "You took a nasty shot to the head."

"Feels like I just went ten rounds with the ThunderTank. And lost."

"More like tons of rock and dirt," Lion-O said. "Pumyra said you have a bad concussion, and the gash in your head required stitching."

"Nothing else wrong?"

"Well, she'd been worried that your brain had swollen and that you'd lost too much blood. The first wasn't the case and Bengali's bandaging your head prevented the second."

"Looks like I owe you guys my life."

"Don't worry about it. Things are pretty much give-and-take around here."

"Heh... oww... Gotta get out of this bed."

"Nature calling?"

"Gonna... call the Guyver..."

"Uh-huh," Lion-O said, cutting him off. "And you can be the one to explain to Pumyra why you annihilated half of her infirmary to get rid of a headache."

"Kinda... planning to go outside first."

"Then you can explain why you left here against her orders."

"Y'mean she can even boss you around?" Sho asked in disbelief.

"If it's for a medical reason, you bet."

"She really that strict?"

"Pumyra only wants to make sure her patients, us in this case, have all the time we need to heal."

"She's a good doctor, then."

"But," Lion-O began in a conspiritorial tone, "just between you and me? I think she's enjoying the hell out of it."

"Perish the thought," Sho deadpanned, and both chuckled. "I'd turn to look at you, but..."

"I understand."

"Good morning, you two," Pumyra's voice chimed from the other side of the privacy screens before she stepped between them. Tygra followed behind, both ThunderCats bearing sets of bandages.

"Up a little early, aren't you?" Lion-O asked. "It's barely first light yet."

"There's a lot to do today, and I wanted to get the both of you rebandaged first thing."

"Bet I look like crap," Sho said as Tygra's face came into his view.

"You've looked better," he replied, sitting beside Sho and reaching to unwrap the dressing on his head.

"Does the wound still itch?" Pumyra asked as she exposed the pinkish, puckered flesh where Grune's knife had entered.

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"Well, I can tell you haven't been scratching it. That's good."

"The Lord of the ThunderCats," Lion-O said with mock machismo, "must have a will of tempered steel."

"I'll just bet," Pumyra replied as she spread the disinfectant balm. "Sho how are you feeling?"

"Let's just stick with alive. Pumyra, thank you for..."

"There's no need to thank me," she replied while she re-dressed Lion-O's wound and Tygra finished with Sho's head. "I'm a healer and a ThunderCat. It's what I do, though I'll give your gratitude to Bengali."

"Lion-O told me. I'd appreciate that."

"Even so," she said, eyeing Lion-O sharply, "I am not 'enjoying the hell out of it'."

"You... heard that..."

"Yes." Pumyra held up her left hand, thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "I'm only enjoying it a little." Laughter filled the small infirmary as the first official rays of the sun reached in through the open window. "And," she said, looking over to Sho, "you wouldn't have liked having to explain destroying half of my infirmary."

"Point taken, Ma'am."

"I'll be back later to check on you two. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."

"I think we can manage that," Lion-O replied as the other ThunderCats took their leave.

Grune fingered the hilt of the club at his waist, gazing out in utter boredom at the slowly rising arcology of what the Mutants had dubbed Fortress Plun-Darr. The lower levels of that particular example of Mutant architecture were under construction, dungeons hewn into the caverns beneath and storage for vehicles established within the eastern side. Mutant quarters had been established on the opposite, sparsely furnished and reeking of unbathed brutes, in order to free up space within the starships. The foundation rose several dozen feet, reinforced by arm-like protrusions which ended in grasping stone talons.

He yawned, stretching his muscular form in the growing light of day. The prospect of leading these idiots had become all too tedious over the weeks, so much so that he even took no joy in yelling at them. He still found ample reason to, of course, but Grune just went through the motions. Ever since Lisker had beaten down that Simian, none of the Mutants had much bothered with lobbing insults their way.

Grune had to admit, if only to himself, that he couldn't help but feel a certain respect for that human. Fearless, utterly ruthless, the Thunderian saw a lot of himself in that one. Lisker excercised with grim determination, preparing himself for another battle with Guyver One. However, and Grune found this in turn perplexing and somewhat humorous, Lisker never raised a hand to any of the slaves. In fact, after he prevented that monkey from whipping the Wollo, none of the Mutants would raise a whip while in his presence. In fact, Lisker seemed to find excuses to be within sight of them which irritated the Mutants to no end. Particularly, and Grune resisted every urge to rib Lisker about it, that one female Wollo.

"You do realize," Grune had said to him one night a few days previous, "that the Wollo woman you're watching over *is* a slave?"

"Hmph, as though the chains she's wearing aren't a giveaway," Lisker had replied. "What's your point?"

"If you want to have her, you only need to take her." The glare Lisker had shot him then, if the old adage were true, would have knocked Grune dead on the spot. Again.

Oswald Lisker stared at the bent forms of the slaves as they toiled beneath the glaring sun with mixed feelings of pity and anger. His gaze fell once again upon the Wollo woman, whose name he had learned was Maria, as she helped another of her breed shove a cart of stone along its tracks. Her dress and blouse were utterly ruined, exposing lengths of her body which only her natural thin coat of fur concealed. He noticed that she moved more easily than in days prior, as had all the enslaved people in this hellpit. He could not help but take some pride in the thought the he helped make that possible.

In truth, though from parents to high school and college councilors to everyone who ever held authority over him even in Kronos, he found slavery abhorrent. True, he had met women who had been excited at the mention of chains and pain, yet the thought of such utter submission always repulsed him. Such notions appealed to a darker side of him he always kept repressed, which he would only release in a very limited fashion. The thoughts of what he had once been planning for Cheetara, in fact, sickened him to his stomach. Such had always been a problem for him, resorting to such sadomasochistic fantasies when beaten.

Enough of this tightrope shit, he thought as he eyed a Jackal fingering the whip at his side. The Mutant's eyes locked with his own for a moment before the hand fell away from the length of leather.

Good, he thought as he resumed his vigil over the bound ones. Yet again, Lisker found himself thinking of how he could eradicate this enterprise, yet held himself in check. He did not know what Mumm-Ra was truly capable of. Besides, he knew Sho would come here sooner or later.

His eyes lingered on the now-retreating form of Maria as she and the other Wollo shoved the cart back into the depths. Lisker applied his trained mind to the variables of this mad equation. Sho would come. The ThunderCats would as well. With reinforcements, if they were smart. Lisker could not help but think that Sho's next move would prove crucial for so many factions. He only hoped Sho would make the right one. He considered using the telepathic link he shared with Guyver One, and decided against it. So much the better if he deduced the right move on his own.

Myrlha awoke feeling full and rested. Such was so alien an experience that it took a moment for her to adjust to it despite the days she and Salvador had spent on the road. She searched her pack for a sample of vegetables and withdrew a hand that was sorely lacking.

"I hate to break this to you, Salvador," she began as she held out the meager selection, "but..."

"I know," the Wollo replied. "I was able to find other edible berries not long ago."

"I just wish food was easier to come by for you," Myrlha offered lamey, and not for the first time.

"I can't help that we Wollos are herbivores," Salvador answered with one of his soft chuckles which she had come to admire. "It's the way we are."

"Can't you at least try some meat?" she asked, rising to her feet and stretching her frame amid the fragrant shrubs. "I can hunt some for you, no problem."

"It's not a question of preference," Salvador explained. "We Wollos simply can't eat flesh. At best, we sick it up as soon as we get it down."

"Then don't bother with a worst-case. Salvador," Myrlha began, turning to face her diminutive new friend, "It's not right for me to eat when you can't." The Wollo chuckled at that, puzzling her greatly. "What's so funny?" Myrlha asked, her head cocked in bewilderment.

"Ever since the ThunderCats won our trust," he began, "I wondered if other Thunderians behaved the same way they do."

"Meaning...?"  
"You're a lot like them, Myrlha. And yes, that *is* a compliment."

"... Thank you," Myrlha managed, a blush coloring her cheeks. "But..."

"We should get going," Salvador said quickly on seeing the embarrassment he'd caused her. "Daylight's wasting, and we still have far to go."

"Y... yes. Let's go."

I had no idea, Lion-O thought as he looked at his hand, that this game was so ancient. And so much fun, too! His gaze shifted to Sho, who was now sitting upright, and tried to find any indicator of what the young human held. Pumyra had proclaimed this day as their last in the infirmary, a fact for which both were profoundly grateful, and the two were spending it any way they could. For his part, Lion-O thought back briefly to the group of Wollos and Bolkins who had taught the ThunderCats this game of skill and cunning. For the life of him, however, he could not determine why it was called "poker". No one was getting poked, for Jaga's sake!

"I'll take two," Sho said, placing cards on the table between their beds. Lion-O dealt them accordingly and saw Sho's left eye twitch slightly at his new hand.

"One," Lion-O said, dealing his new card and barely hiding a grin. Ironically enough, WilyKit and WilyKat were the absolute best among the ThunderCats at poker, which explained why the two were able to duck so many chores after a weekly round.

"Thirty Thunderian dollars," Sho said, indicating the imaginary ante. Thunderian currency had no real worth on Third Earth, gold and gemstones being the primary trade fodder along with livestock and foodstuffs for barter.

"I'll see that, and raise you ten more." Lion-O rearranged the cards in his hand, looking down at the red and white chips Snarf had provided along with the cards. "If we were on Thundera, you'd be down to your shirt right now."

"I'm practically there now," Sho replied, gazing at his cards before setting them down. "Call. Three of a kind, ace high."

"Royal flush."

"Damn..." Sho shook his head as Lion-O collected the notional winnings. "Good thing we're not playing strip poker. I'd have lost more than my shirt."

"No offense, but I'd rather not see you naked."

"Same here," Sho replied with a sly grin. "But I think I know who you *would* play with."

"You've seen why," Lion-O retorted, smirking. "Can you blame me?" He laughed out loud at Sho's furious blush. Teasing him about seeing Cheetara in the buff was almost as much fun as sharking him at cards.

"When am I gonna live that down?" Sho asked in exasperation.

"Not any time soon, kid," Lion-O said as he shuffled the cards, showing off the dexterity of his recently healed arm. He again silently blessed Pumyra's medical knowledge which allowed his limb to mend so quickly. "Another hand?"

"What's the damage so far?"

"Around two thousand Thunderian."

"Gimme a shovel, then. Deal."

"Digging the hole deeper?"

"Might as well." Lion-O dealt the five cards. "Shimatta..." Sho muttered when he saw his hand.

"What?" Sho had been slipping into that strange stacatto language at odd moments the entire day.

"Never mind," he said. "It's not really worth translating."

"Sounded like a curse to me."

"Pretty much. Three."

"Is there a word for ThunderCats in your language?" Lion-O asked idly.

"Ummm... gimme a second here... I guess the best translation would be Kazuchi no Neko."

"Kazu... run that by me again?" Lion-O took two cards and managed not to grimace. "Ten, by the way."

"I'll see that," Sho replied. "Kazuchi no Neko."

"Kazuchi no Neko?"

"That's it. Raise you five."

"How is that ThunderCats?"

"Well, kazuchi is the word for thunder. Neko is the word for cat."

"What's the no for?"

"It conjugates the two words. Literally, it means 'Cats of Thunder'."

"Oh," Lion-O replied. "Where did you learn to speak Standard?"

"You mean English?"

"If that's what you call it. See your five, raise for ten."

"Done," Sho said as he put what remained of his meager pile of chips between them with a pained look. "I really don't remember. Seems I learned it pretty well."

"Good thing. Not many around here speak the other language. What do you call it?"

"Nihongo. Japanese, to put it in Standard. Call."

"Two pair, king high."

"How about that? Straight flush, high cards."

"And he makes a comeback," Lion-O chuckled as he processed what Sho had told him. "Feel like pressing your luck?"

"Fortune favors the bold. Deal 'em." Sho's face was neutral this time. Good hand or poker face? Lion-O asked himself. "Anything wild?"

"Deuces and suicide kings," he replied, meaning the two king cards which looked to be stabbing themselves in the head with their swords. Three fives, two of hearts and a ten of clubs graced his hand. Four of a kind, given what was wild.

"Pumyra's taken the day off, huh?"

"By *my* order," Lion-O said, discarding the ten and drawing a five. "She was only too happy to let Tygra take over. She's been running herself into the ground over the two of us."

"She deserves some downtime. Betting five."

"See that, and raise you ten."

"Done," Sho replied as he tossed some chips into the pot.

"Kazuchi no Neko, huh. Wait, why are the words reversed?"

"Japanese is spoken differently from Standard. It's kinda tough to explain."

"What's tough to explain?" Tygra's voice sounded from the entrance as he came into view with Snarf trailing with a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of juice.

"The differences between Sho's native language and Standard," Lion-O explained.

"I wouldn't mind learning some of it."

"I'll teach you some. Soon as I'm out of the infirmary, anyway."

"I'll clear some of my schedule," Tygra replied as he rolled a spare table next to the one they had commandeered for their game. "Who's winning?"

"Him," Sho said, jerking a thumb at Lion-O. "If we were playing for money, I'd be working for him right now."

"You think he's tough, play WilyKit and WilyKat sometime, shnarf," Snarf said as he placed the tray on the table. "They're *brutal*, shnarf snyearf."

"I'll pass, Snarf. Twenty, Lion-O."

"I'll see your twenty and raise ten more."

"High stakes," Tygra mentioned with a grin as the chips clinked into the center of the table. "Do you mind if I stick around to see how this plays?"

"I'll deal you in on the next hand, if you want," Lion-O said as he studied Sho's inscrutable expression.

"I have an hour or so free. I think I'll take you up on that."

"Don't forget about me," Snarf intoned. "I haven't played in forever. Can't let my skills get rusty, snarf shnarf."

"Sure thing. Twenty, Sho."

"See that, and raise you twenty more."

He hasn't drawn, Lion-O thought as more chips piled between them. What kind of hand does he have, anyway?

"Getting a little pricey, here," Sho said in a neutral tone.

"You can fold any time."

"So can you."

"I don't have to."

"Or you're afraid to."

"Ooooooo..." Snarf muttered.

"If you're gonna get cocky, I'll bet forty."

"Forget that. All in." Lion-O nearly balked as they slid their chips into the center of the table.

"Know what? Call. Four of a kind," Lion-O said triumphantly as he laid his hand on the table.

"Full house," Sho replied as he laid down his cards. "And now you're broke."

"I..." Lion-O was speechless as Sho raked in the winnings accompanied by racuous laughter from Tygra and Snarf.

"Lady Luck is fickle, Lion-O," Tygra said while Sho stacked his chips with a smile. "Keep that well in mind."

"Well, if everyone's game, we can start over," Sho said with a bright smile.

"This time, Snarf deals," Lion-O said with a chuckle.

Pumyra stretched as she entered the clearing in the dense jungle canopy, inhaling the sweet fragrance of fresh water which came in waves from the crystal clear pool which rested in the center surrounded by tall, craggy rocks. She had found this place not long after being named a ThunderCat, just when Tygra had been drafting plans for the Tower of Omens. She had brought Bengali here only once, and the love they'd made was still on her top ten list of times the two of them had enjoyed each other. Those memories, in fact, were playing in the theatre of her mind as she neared the edge of the pool. She banished them with little difficulty, focusing instead on why she had come today. This place was mostly hers, where she came to relax and let the troubles of life slide off her shoulders for a brief while.

She paused on reaching the pool's edge, listening again for the tell-tale whine of WilyKit and WilyKat's spaceboards within the myriad of trees. She had heard them on her trek through the well-concealed path to the spring, yet only briefly as the kittens raced off on whatever game they were playing. Jungle wildlife was the only sound which greeted her ears. Besides, other than Bengali, she had told no one of this place. She'd even told Panthro she was going on a stroll when he had dropped her off at the jungle's edge in the ThunderTank.

Just relax, she told herself as she removed her boots, then the sling which also served as her belt and ammo bandolier. Even if the others know about this place, you'll hear them coming with plenty of time to spare. With a relaxed sigh, Pumyra doffed the short skirt/tunic she wore as her uniform and let the sun shine down on her lithe form with utter joy. Even though the middle- and working-classes of Thunderian society had worn clothes, she had always felt truly free when completely naked. After a moment of ultimate sunbathing, Pumrya dove headfirst into the cold water and surfaced several feet away from the shoreline in the pool's deep center. she gaze down, amazed at how clear the water was as she beheld the rippled and distorted image of herself below the water and the deceptively close bottom. All that time stranded on an island in the middle of one of Third Earth's oceans, and the only source of fresh water had been too small to use for bathing in such a manner. She had forgotten just how good the cold water felt against her naked flesh. Pumyra dove again, swimming down until she felt her lungs would burst before reversing direction and breaking the surface again with a great gasp of air.

Oh, yes, she thought relaxing her body and allowing herself to float freely upon the surface. It's been *way* too long since the last time I did this. Pumyra remained exposed and rested on the surface of the water, uncaring about the troubles of the world, even as a strange feeling began to overcome her. Said sensation began to gnaw at her more and more with each passing moment until she opened her eyes again in growing concern.

I'm being watched, Pumyra thought as she sank back to shoulder depth. I'm certain of it. More than a little alarmed, she whipped her head about in an attempt to find evidence of someone spying on her. Unconsciously, she covered her nakedness beneath the surface of the water as she gazed about. Reason began to reassert itself as she took stock of the current situation.

I haven't heard any engines, she thought as she tread water. I don't even know if someone's spying on me. If so, who would it be? The answer came to her in moments, leaving her with an embarrassed blush coloring her face.

He *is* at that age, she thought.

"I know you're there, WilyKat," she said loudly. Pumyra continued to tread water as she searched the landscape with her eyes. "Trust me, I know when I'm being watched." Silence was her only reply. Trying to hide, was he? Fine. Pumyra kept quiet, her embarrassment growing into unease as the minutes ticked by.

"WilyKat?!" Pumyra called into the wilderness. "Come on, stop this foolishness." Even more silence was her reply. "Kat, listen, I know that curiosity regarding females is a natural thing. I know you're experiencing that." The forest was utterly silent at this point, sending waves of actual fear through Pumyra. "WilyKat?" Her only reply was a flock of birds taking wing from the trees. Pumyra paddled back to the stretch of shoreline on which her tunic and boots rested, feeling self-conscious and more than a little annoyed.

"Listen up, Kat!" she boomed, moving from flattered to annoyed to royally pissed off. "You've gotten enough of a look! Come out now, and own up! Trust me, I'll forget this little incident. I won't even tell Panthro!" She hated using the eldest ThunderCat's name and reputation, but she had also seen that there was nothing better to make WilyKat andWilyKit snap to than the threat of dealing with Panthro. Silence was her only reply as the water grew colder and another, more ominous, notion came to her.

What if it wasn't WilyKat who was spying on her?

Pumyra climbed out of the pool into the shade of one of the circling stones before hurriedly donning her clothes. Bandits were getting bolder now that the ThunderCats were in less of a position to deal with them, and this section of jungle had once been the territory of a notorious group of raiders. One thing Pumyra knew about people like that, regardless of species, is that they hunted in packs.

The kittens might be in danger, she thought as she re-armed herself. I'd better... the hell was that? She spun in alarm at the sound of low undergrowth rustling to her left. "There you are!" she exclaimed, pouncing into the thick grasses to discover only emptiness.

Pumyra forced herself to remain calm, to breathe deeply and slowly. She was in a jungle teeming with wildlife, after all. Maybe it was nothing more than a wild boar feasting its eyes on her in the raw. She told herself that until she saw the scrap of orange fabric which dangled from the ruins of a spider's web and the unmistakeable stain of crimson which was still moist.

That's his blood, alright, she thought as the coppery scent reached her nose. Frantically, she cast her gaze about until she spotted the trampled grasses and wildflowers leading deeper into the wood. Something's not right, here...

Even if he had been... satisfying his curiosity... and something had jumped him, why hadn't WilyKat cried out? And where was his sister? Pumyra started down the trail left by his supposed abductor, seeing no other options available. Cautios steps quickened into an anxious trot then a full sprint as images of WilyKat's possible injuries crossed her mind's eye. Unmindful of the level of noise she was making by charging through the brush, Pumyra soon found herself in a small open area of the jungle. Breath came in gasps as the thick heat of the day made the air a syrupy, hazy morass.

"WilyKat?" she called, absently swatting a mosquito which had begun making a meal of her. "Wily... Kat?" the feel of the droplets hitting her cheek stopped her cold, her fingers coming away from her face streaked in red. Heart thundering, fear playing her nerves like an insane violinist, she gazed upward.

The startled cry which burst from her lips at the sight of him echoed back to her from the surrounding trees. Suspended upside-down by a gnarled tangle of thick vines, WilyKat hung in the air between several trees. Slowly, he turned his face to her and opened his eyes at another shout of his name.

"Pumyra..."

"Hold on! I'll..."

"RUN! GET OUTTA HERE NOOOOW!" The utter horror in his scream rooted her in place for one fateful second just before the vine speared from the treeline and coiled itself about her throat. Gagging and struggling, her struggles were in vain as still more growths snaked about her wrists, her legs, her torso and arms while the first slackened barely enough for Pumyra to take in a gurgling breath. She couldn't manage to yelp in outraged surprise when a length of vegetation slapped hard across her rear and snatched free her sling.

"See, kid?" a deep voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once asked as a mass of roiling dirt rose before Pumyra and took the shape of a man. Blades of grass stuck out from it at odd angles with stones and grub worms tumbling down its surface. "I said you wouldn't be lonely long."

"Ghaaakk... Dyme..." Pumyra managed as the vine about her throat slackened a little more.

"Smart *and* sexy?" the strange creature replied with what might have been arousal. Pumyra did not wish to find out. "You cat people really have the whole package, dontcha?"

"Let him go," Pumyra snarled. From the attack which had robbed her of her weapon, she had a reliable indicator of where this would end up. I'll be damned, she thought, if I let WilyKat see something like that. "You've got me."

"And just what," Dyme began as he... it?... slid closer as though the earth itself were merely an extension of its will, "would persuade me to do that?"

"Pumyra..."

She forced WilyKat's plea out of her consciousness.

"Well?" Dyme said languidly.

"I told you," she began, hating herself for having to resort to something like this and reminding herself that any humiliation would be worth saving WilyKat's life. Or, at least, sparing him from the utter evil of what was about to take place. "You. Have. Me."

WilyKat stared down at the two of them, realization coming to him like the front grille of the ThunderTank at full speed. Adrenaline shot into his blood with a blazing rush of sanguine rage at what was taking place.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER, YOU DAMN FREAK! YA HEAR ME?! DON'T YOU... DON'T YOU FUCKING *TOUCH* HER!" An agonized screech followed his epithet as the vines squeezed with tremendous force.

"You're in no position to be making demands here, little man," Dyme replied as the world faded from gray to black.

"Don't you... ghaakkhgg..."

"He's still alive," Dyme said as the length of cord throttled her once more until black spots danced across her vision. "Now, say it." The vine released its grip completely and Pumyra gave in to a fit of hacking coughs before she could form the words. Finally;

"Do what... you want to me. I don't care, I won't resist. Just, for Jaga's sake, let WilyKat go." Burning shame welled up inside, barely tempered by the fact that it was for the young man's sake.

"I can't believe what a whore you are," Dyme chuckled in reply. "You'd really give it up trying to save him?"

"He's my friend," Pumyra replied, defiant despite the crushing humiliation inside. "Besides, it's obvious that you're going to violate me no matter what. If it means his life, I'll bear that shame." Tears stung the corners of her eyes, spilling down her face to leave trails of despair and rage. And, somewhat to her own surprise, more than a dash of pure unbridled hatred.

"You feel nice," Dyme said and Pumyra steeled herself for the rape. "But, I don't go that way. Never was one for forcing things, ya know?"

"Wha..."

"But, I was enjoying your little performance so much, I couldn't bring myself to stop it." A blow to the stomach doubled her over as far as the entangling vines allowed as the earth beneath began to rapidly suck her down.

Dyme shook his head as he lowered first the woman, then the kid, into himself. He had to admit, that cat woman offering herself to him had to have taken some serious guts. He hadn't really meant to play grab-ass when disarming her. That, he mused, had to be why she thought rape was on the agenda.

At least, Dyme thought as he sank back into the earth and made for the rendevouz point, not on *my* agenda. Can't vouch for Grune, though.

WilyKit crouched on her Spaceboard, listening for any other sounds like the shriek she'd just heard. It had been distant, and several minutes had passed since she'd last heard the screaming voice of her brother, but she couldn't shake the horrible feeling that he was in terrible danger.

"WilyKat!" she cried out yet again. "Where'd ya go? WilyKat?!" She floated on in silence, anxiety becoming full fear, until she saw the shape protruding from the deep grass. Alert, WilyKit slowed her spaceboard only to find the broken remains or her brother's board lying on the ground amid some splatters of blood.

"Oh, Jaga," she breathed, fishing out her communicator. "Tower, come in. This is WilyKit. Please respond! Urgent!"

"Lynx-O, responding," he said, "What is the nature of the problem, WilyKit?"

"I just found WilyKat's board," her frightened voice returned. "It's all smashed up, and there's some blood here!"

"Where is he?"

"I don't know! I've been looking for him for an hour, now!"

"Pumyra is in the area," Lynx-O said, outwardly calm yet inwardly disturbed. "I shall contact her."

"Thanks! Tell her to hurry!"

"Pumyra, come in." Silence. "Pumyra, please respond." Static without voice. "Pumyra, are you receiving?" Still nothing. Immediately concerned, Lynx-O switched frequencies. "Panthro, come in!"

"Panthro, here. What's wrong?"

"I have just received word from WilyKit. Her brother's spaceboard is damaged, and he is missing. Pumyra is also in the area, however I cannot contact her. I shall relay WilyKit's coordinates directly to you."

"Got it. I'm not too far away. Panthro out."

"WilyKit."

"Yeah?"

"I cannot raise Pumyra on her commlink. Panthro is on his way to you. Keep still and alert."

"Got it." The fear in her voice was palpable, and only Lynx-O's iron resolve kept his own feelings from responding.

"Tygra, come in."

"Go ahead," Tygra replied on activating the circuit in the hilt of his bolo whip.

"WilyKit has informed me that WilyKat is missing and injured. Pumyra is in the same area, though I cannot contact her. Panthro is on his way there now."

"Understood. Tygra out." Tygra rose from his seat, setting his hand down on the table. "Looks like the game's on hold for now."

"Time to go to work," Lion-O replied, rising from his bed.

"Lion-O, are you certain you're up to this?"

"I've got two missing ThunderCats, one definitely injured, and another in the thick of it all. If there's a better time for me to get back in the saddle, I can't think of it."

"I agree," Tygra replied with as much of a smile as he could manage as he handed the claw and the Sword of Omens back to their rightful weilder. "Snarf's prepared some clothing for you."

"I was gonna show it to you after this hand, shnarrf," the diminutive ThunderCat said, "but there's no time like the present."

"I'll get dressed, too," Sho added. "I've been here long enough."

"We'll meet you in the hangar," Lion-O said. With that, Tygra departed the infirmary with steps both lighter and heavier than they had been in weeks.

"This had better be good, Mumm-Ra," Luna screeched from her perch on Amok's back, the crop in her left hand smacking the palm in her right. The ancient mage looked upon the assembled Lunattaks, and the looming arcology of SkyTomb behind them, with disdain.

"It shall be, Luna, rest assured." The problem, which he would never admit, was that even he did not know why the Ancient Spirits of Evil bade him summon them here. He had only his faith in their dark and evil ways that this would prove fruitful. Luna's threat, he knew, was empty. He had sealed them once before, and if they proved too rancorous, he would outright destroy them. Luna's bunch knew not to fuck with his power.

"I still don't see why *I* have to be here," Grune grumbled from Mumm-Ra's right.

"You do because I command it." Mumm-Ra did not deign to admit that it was also because the Ancient Ones demanded it as well. As such, the gathered commanders of evil on Third Earth were baking in the sun in one of the more arid regions of Darkside.

"This is *so* uncomfortable."

"Quit your griping, Chilla," TugMug replied.

"You want me to cool you off permanently?!"

"Enough!" Mumm-Ra shouted. Whatever his masters had in store, he hoped it would become apparent soon. He was not disappointed. The dust just before them began to whirl about, revealing a humanoid canine. His build was tightly muscled, a short tunic covering his pelvis while an ancient egyptian crown adorned his head. Golden gauntlets adorned the gray skin of his wrists, with sandals adorning his clawed feet. The head was canine in structure, grinning with a lunatic gleam in the eyes.

"Welcome," it said, smiling ferociousy, "and let me have the honor of inviting all of you to the show of the century."

"And you are...?" Luna asked.

"I have a new name, but for now you can call me Ma-Mutt."

"Ma-Mutt?" Mumm-Ra asked, perplexed.

"I got something of an upgrade from the Ancients," he replied with a hideous chuckle. "Anyway, all of you are here at the behest of the Ancient Spirits of Evil."

"And why is that?" Grune asked, irratible as ever.

"To partake," Ma-Mutt began as he started pacing, "in the greatest show this planet has ever seen. A show that would make Shakespeare himself envious."

"Who the hell is Shakespeare?" Alluro asked Red-Eye.

"Got me."

"This show," the demon formerly known as Ma-Mutt explained, "is titled simply, 'The Death of the Guyver'. Starring myself, of course."

"Care to explain this?" Grune asked, more than a little annoyed.

"Gladly," the demon explained. "The threat itself would draw out Guyver One."

"And how," TugMug began, "Would we draw him out without killing ourselves off?"

"Or survive another tussle with him *and* the ThunderCats?" Chilla added.

"Allow me to explain," Ma-Mutt replied in a tone that could almost be mistaken as gracious. "I, along with my associate who has yet to arrive, shall do battle with the Guyver. None of you shall face him." His left eye began to twitch in annoyance at the tide of laughter which washed over him.

"Y... YOU?!" Luna shrieked once she caught her breath. "I hate to tell you, but a scrawny little punk like you can't freakin' HOPE to take on that monster!"

"And *I* am loathe to inform YOU," he replied, "that appearances are often deceiving. I would not have gone through all the trouble I have so far if I was not confident of victory."

"This still doesn't add up," Chilla said sharply. "If you think you can kill off the Guyver, why the hell do you need us?"

"As I've told you, this is a show," Ma-Mutt said slowly, as if to an addled child. "What is a show if there is no audience? Besides, killing Sho is only act one."

"Then, what is act two?" Mumm-Ra asked, intrigued. The mystic forces, which only he could see, that surrounded what was once his loyal pet were mysterious indeed. Mysterious, and a little unnerving.

"Act two is 'The Slaughter of the ThunderCats'. And all of you are invited to partake."

"Now you're speaking my language," Grune replied with a cruel sneer. "I've got dibs on Lion-O, by the way."

"So, Ma-Mutt," Mumm-Ra said, "how do you plan to lure them all out?" As if on cue, the soil off to the horrid group's right began to swirl seemingly of its own volition as a man-shaped being emerged from it. Moments after Dyme's rather dramatic entrance, the unconscious forms of Pumyra and WilyKat were disgorged from its depths.

"Any questions?"

"Well, my curiosity's been slaked," Alluro replied.

"I think we can work something out," Luna added.

"Oh, yes," Mumm-Ra said next. "Let us secure our new guests. Then, we can hear the rest of Ma-Mutt's plan."

"Master," the dog-like demon began, "you will not regret this."

Lion-O wiped off the sweat which had instantly appeared on his brow as the ThunderClaw descended into the steamy growth of the jungle. Even in the cleared area in which WilyKit was frantically waving the heat was oppressive. Briefly, he wondered how so many different climates could share the same landmass and in such proximity to each other. He absently tugged at the fabric of his new uniform, a one-piece tunic which covered all but his arms and head with subtle armor plating within the torso which bore his ThunderCat insignia.

Snarf just had to make it black, Lion-O thought before focusing entirely upon the unravelling situation. The ThunderStrike set down amid whirling grass and loose dirt, Lion-O killing the engines and departing with Sho just behind. One look at WilyKit's terrified face, and the two belts she held in each hand, told the entire story.

"This is all I could find," she said, her voice trembling and small.

"Any luck with the comm?"

"No. Lion-O, what's happened to them?"

"That's what we're here to find out," he replied as the roar of the ThunderTank drew near.

"The trail I found ended here," WilyKit explained as the three waded into the undergrowth. "It's the weirdest one I've ever seen, too."

"How's that?"

"It's like the ground was all... twisted up, I guess." That remark brought him up cold.

"Lion-O..." Sho said warily.

"Raise Panthro," he snapped, spinning to face Sho. "Tell him to hold position!"

"Got it! Panthro, come in!"

"Panthro here. I'm almost there..."

"Lion-O wants you to hold where you are."

"What?!"

"We think Dyme's involved in this," Lion-O added. "The evidence definitely points to that thing."

"Is it still there?" Panthro asked, his voice tense.

"I think I can find out," Sho replied. "I'll have to call the Guyver, though."

"Do it," Lion-O ordered, unease and tension lending his voice a commanding tone. Sho moved at once, putting as much distance between himself and the two Thunderians as the clearing allowed.

"GUYVER!"

The damp heat of the jungle vanished as the armor merged with his body. For a brief moment, Sho could have sworn he felt the living armor finish the process of mending his skull before the enhanced eyes showed him what ordinarily he could not see. Heat radiated off of every surface in visible waves, shifting patterns of light spectrums dancing through them in a seemingly random pattern.

Okay, he thought as he focused on the sensor medals atop his helmet. As they shifted back and forth in their tracks, Sho searched for any sign of Dyme, or of Pumyra and WilyKat. Noises both subtle and shrieking from over a mile around met his ears, along with a muttered stream of curses and oaths from Panthro accompanying the growl of the idling ThunderTank.

"Nothing," Sho said at length, deactivating the sensors and letting his perceptions return to as close to normal as the Guyver could come. "No sign of any of them." Sho picked up the wristcomm again and informed Panthro of the current situation. On hearing confirmation, Sho closed the channel and looked at Lion-O and WilyKit.

"Then let's try my sensor," Lion-O said. "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight! Show me our missing friends!"

"Anything?" WilyKit asked at length while the ThunderTank drove into view.

"Nothing. Again." Lion-O lowered the Sword, frustration writ large across his face. "I've got a good idea about their destination, just not where it is."

"Mumm-Ra could be making his next big move," Panthro said as he leapt clear of the vehicle. "They might be in his pyramid."

"That's his style, alright," WilyKit added, smacking a fist into her palm.

"Want me to check it out?" Sho asked.

"We'll all go," Lion-O replied. "It's always better to face Mumm-Ra in force." Sho remained silent, merely nodding. "WilyKit, you're with me. Panthro, take the ThunderTank. Sho, take to the air and stay with us. Don't try to be a hero and challenge Mumm-Ra by yourself."

"I understand," Sho replied before focusing on the gravity controller and going airborne. Even if they weren't in the pyramid, Sho eagerly looked forward to taking on Mumm-Ra again.

Pumyra awoke, chilled to the bone and sore. Slowly and methodically, she took stock of herself as consciousness reasserted itself. She tried to raise a hand to her face only to find unyeilding resistance. Sundry aches made themselves known as the presence of cold metal wound about her body was realized. Finally, the cool stone at her back came to her.

I'm chained up, she thought. Pretty well, too. Can't move an inch. Slowly, Pumyra opened her eyes and inspected herself visually. Chains were wrapped about her arms and torso above and below her bust, with links binding her legs at the knees. Her ankles sported shackles linked with short chain, which she also surmised was on her wrists.

"Mmmmm..." Gagged as well? she thought with some surprise. Where the hell am I? Where's WilyKat?

"Good to see you up," his voice said from her left. Pumyra looked over to see him chained as securely as she. "Gimme a minute, I'll take care of that gag." Pondersously, he scooted himself over to her without losing his balance. She noticed the cloth which hung about his neck. He had been gagged as well, yet had managed to dislodge it. "Almost there," he said, scooting earnestly across the floor toward her.

"Mmmmph," she managed as he crept closer.

"Mind turning your head a little? I need to reach the knot."

"Mmmm." She managed, presenting the back of her head to him.

"Just... gimme a minute. Moving isn't all that easy right now."

"Mmph," Pumyra managed in reply. At long last she felt WilyKat's teeth working the knot holding her gag in place. Before long she felt it loosen to the point where she could spit it out to leave it hanging on her upper chest. "Much better," she said once the offending cloth and wadding were removed.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I can do," WilyKat said, his voice a study in despair.

"Under the circumstances, it's a hell of a lot," Pumyra replied. "WilyKat, thank you."

"For what?" he asked, his voice thick with despair. "We can talk now, so what? We're still tied up, and I don't have a way to change that!"

"That doesn't matter," Pumyra said, ignoring the strain in her bound arms. "We just have to wait for a way out."

"Okay," WilyKat said at length. "Pumyra?"

"Yes?"

"Just don't promise the Lunattaks what you promised Dyme."

"What?"

"I don't ever want to hear you say that one of these bastards can just have you. It's not right!"

"Oh. I see." Pumyra, despite her current situation, found herself touched by his concern. "WilyKat, listen to me."

"All ears."

"I did that only because I was sure Dyme was going to anyway. I was trying to turn that to my advantage, at least so he would release you."

"Still... I don't want you to do something like that. Even if it's for me. Promise me, okay?" The tremor in his voice, its fearful waver, nearly brought her to the same tears she glimpsed in his eyes.

"Alright. I promise."

"Th-Thank you." She watched in rising alarm as his struggles against the chains binding him increased by leaps and bounds.

"Kat, you're hurt! Stop!"

"Nghh... DAMNIT!"

"WilyKat! Stop this! Hurting yourself further isn't going to help!" Slowly, his struggles ceased leaving him panting with tears now flowing freely.

"Damn it all," he said through gritted teeth. "Just like last time..."

"Kat..."

"I couldn't help Cheetara and... and I can't help you either! I'm so useless..."

"WilyKat! Stop that now!" The commanding tone in her voice snapped his eyes to hers. "You are *not* useless! Hey," she continued, her voice softening, "you took my gag off. Situations like this, any small freedom regained is a victory."

"I guess," he replied at length, yet the despair and rage in his eyes still shone bright. "I just wish I could get us out of here."

"The others will come for us. You didn't doubt us when you were a prisoner in Castle Plun-Darr, did you?"

"No!"

"Then don't doubt the ThunderCats here. By the way, any idea where we are?'

"I'm pretty sure we're in SkyTomb," WilyKat replied.

"How so?" She had to keep him talking, she knew, keep his mind off of the self-destructive thoughts which had to be boiling inside him.

"I've been awake for a while, now. The only way to mistake Luna's voice for anything else is if you're deaf."

"Good point." She couldn't help but chuckle at his witticism. Even false bravado was better than utter desperation. "WilyKat?"

"Yeah?"

"How badly are you hurt?"

"Not too bad," he replied. "I'm not bleeding anymore. I'm even sporting a bandage on my side."

The Lunattaks went to that kind of trouble? Pumyra thought. What the hell?

"Don't bother trying to take a look. Kinda tough right now."

"I will once we're out of this. First thing."

"You're the doc, here."

"That's right." Pumyra allowed herself an impish grin. "So, did you enjoy the show, Peeping Tom?"

"Wha... What?!" She turned to look at him as best she could, and saw only confusion.

"I know you were spying on me in the spring."

"I was what? What're you talking about?"

"It's perfectly natural at your age."

"I wasn't spying on you. I didn't even know you were there!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! I wouldn't do stuff like that!"

He's telling the truth, Pumyra realized. "Oh. I'm sorry I accused you, then. I'd felt someone was watching me, and I thought it was you."

"You were skinny-dipping?!" he asked, unable to hide a mischevious grin.

"Well..."

"Oh, wow, I had no idea you'd..."

"WilyKat..."

"Tell you what," he said. "You don't tell anyone I was crying, and I won't tell anyone you were swimming in the buff. Deal?"

"Deal," she said, chuckling. Further conversation was halted when stomping footsteps neared the door to their cell. The lock on the door opened with a low, loud click followed by the grinding of hinges to reveal three shapes in the corridor beyond.

"You seem to be a little tied up at the moment," Chilla said with a malicious leer as she entered, followed by Alluro and, worst of all, Mumm-Ra. The demon priest was still clad in rotting bandages and his tattered shroud, red eyes glowing with hateful glee.

"Can't imagine why," Pumyra retorted. "Whatever you're planning..."

"The ThunderCats won't let us get away with it, we'll never succeed, good always wins, blah blah blah," Alluro mocked. "You sound like a corrupted sound file, you know that?"

"And you look like your arm's seen better days!" WilyKat snapped, glaring at the thin rods protruding from Alluro's crushed wrist. "I saw how that happened. Believe me, you can expect worse this time!"

"Yes, I do owe him for this," he replied. "Speaking of, I believe Chilla here has a debt to your friend from that last encounter."

"Damn right," she snarled, moving to loom over the immobile Pumyra. Without further preamble, Chilla launched a punch which slammed into Pumyra's left cheek with a sharp crack. Another slammed into her jaw, a third into her right eye starred her vision.

"STOP IT!" She heard Kat scream as Chilla's boot rammed into her stomach with vicious force and sent waves of nausea outward from the impact. Finally, a savage backhand landed across her face to leave the coppery tang of blood from a split lower lip.

"You want some, too?" Chilla asked, glaring down at him. "Believe it, kitten, I've got plenty more of this to go around!"

"Enough of this," Mumm-Ra said softly. "You'll have time for more later."

"Oh, yeth," Pumyra said, spitting out bloody saliva. "You're real brave when we can't fight back."

"Take these damn chains off and then try it!" WilyKat roared.

"We'll pass, thank you," Alluro said as he bent down to hook a length of cord to the chains across Kat's torso. Chilla did likewise with Pumyra and, afterward, both found themselves being dragged across the rough stone floor of SkyTomb to whatever fate awaited them.

Beneath the horror of what Chilla had done, behind the utter humiliation of being dragged like a heavy burden of meatfruit, rage burned within WilyKat's mind. He could not chase away the desire for revenge, to hurt them as they had hurt Pumyra. As Slythe had hurt Cheetara.

He found himself in a vision of power, weilding the Sword of Omens as Lion-O did. He imagined throwing off vicious combinations of bone-shattering martial arts techniques in a manner that would make even Panthro proud. As the dingy corridors of SkyTomb slid slowly past and each new bump in the floor aggravated the wound in his side, a darker fantasy emerged.

He saw himself facing down the Mutants, the Lunattaks, Grune, even Mumm-Ra himself, all trembling before the might he would unleash with a single terrible word.

At that moment, WilyKat would have given anything to be able to call upon the Guyver's power. Anything at all.

The hangar of SkyTomb reeked of lubricants and soldered metals. Grease which had accumulated on the hard floor coated her left side as she was dragged across it to the waiting dragon-like tank, the Lunattaker, yet nowhere near enough to facilitate freeing her hands from the shackles which held them at the small of her back. A deep grinding sound vibrated in her ears as the tank's head slowly descended toward them, their chains hooked to an eye bolt welded atop its maw which would leave their bound forms dangling in front of the main cannon once the head was raised. They were left there, Alluro and Chilla moving off to take care of other tasks in preparation for the Lunattaker's deployment while the floor began to shake beneath them.

We're moving, she realized. But to where? If the Lunattaks were just planning to deliver them to the Mutant Army, they wouldn't resort to such dramatic measures. It came to her, then, in a flash of realization.

"We're bait," she said softly.

"I was thinking the same thing," Kat said to her right. "Whatever they're planning, it's got to be huge."

"If they're bold enough to take us on a second time, I agree," Pumyra replied, recalling the shellacking the Lunattaks had taken the last time they had challenged the ThunderCats and the Guyver. Suddenly, she found herself very worried. Luna and her crowd never played without a stacked deck. What were they up to?

"Pumyra? You okay?"

"I've been better."

"Listen, can I tell you something?"

"Anything," she replied, looking over to his outwardly brave face.

"No matter what happens..."

"Don't talk like that."

"I've gotta. No matter what happens to us, I'm glad I got the chance to meet you." Pumyra's heart threatened to burst at that moment at the purity of his words and the innocent love within them.

"I am, too," she said, leaning over to plant a delicate kiss on his forehead. "If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't change a...

"SHUT THE HELL UP, WOULD YOU?!" TugMug's enraged roar startled them both, snapping their gazes to his squat form before he lunged forward with a roll of silver adhesive tape. He applied several strips above Pumyra's mouth before giving the same treatment to WilyKat. "Son of a bitch, if that was any more sugary, I'd be diabetic right now!"

Silenced again, Pumyra could only glare daggers at TugMug's retreating back. This, she thought, gets old really fast.

"Anything?" Cheetara asked.

"Still nothing," Lynx-O replied.

"Sitrep," she said, casting a quick glance at the fidgety form of Bengali at the other side of the controls.

"Nothing... wait... I'm picking up SkyTomb just inside the periphery of our sensors."

They know we can see them, Cheetara thought as the images on the viewscreen focused themselves. "I am picking up movemnt toward our position, as well as lifesigns of two of our own."

"Main screen," she said, bracing herself for the sight. "Jaga's cape..."

"Grrrrrr... We have to get out there!" Bengali roared, slamming a fist on the control panel before him.

"I am receiving a signal from the Lunattaker," Lynx-O said. "Audio only."

"Put it through."

"Where is Guyver?" Luna's screeching voice demanded.

"Release our friends! Now!"

"We shall speak only to the Guyver," Luna replied. "Put us through to him, or watch your two friends suffer."

She's serious, Cheetara thought. "Very well. Lynx-O, patch them through."

"Understood," he replied, re-routing the signal to Sho's wristcomm, as well as the communication gear in the ThunderClaw and ThunderTank.

"Incoming communicaiton," Lynx-O's voice said over the wristcomm.

"Receiving," Sho replied, bringing the device to his face as the desert of sinking sands raced beneath.

"I am speaking to the Guyver?" came a familiar annoying voice.

"That's right. What do you want?"

"You had best watch your tone," Luna said, "or you might find two of your buddies a little worse for wear."

"What?!"

"Take a listen to this." Sho heard the frequency change, filled now with a low wind and mechanical grinding.

"Mmmmm..."

"Oh, no..." Even muffled, he recognized WilyKat's voice.

"MMMMmmMMMMMMPH!" two voices cried amid the sound of crackling electricity.

"Stop it, damn you!" Sho roared.

"That," Luna's voice returned, "is the fate which awaits them if you're too late."

"Where are they?!"

"I'm sending you the coordinates. You have fifteen minutes, or no one ever sees them again."

"I have it, too," Lion-O said. "They're in the area of the Tower."

"That's a long haul from here," Panthro added. "Kid, you'd better pull out all the stops if you wanna get there in time!"

"I'm on it!" Without another word, Sho changed course to the coordinates provided by Luna. The two vehicles which he had accompanied rapidly shrank behind as he commanded the Guyver to carry him with all speed. Teleporting, though he was far enough away for it to work, demanded too much power, and he felt he would need all he could possibly get.

"Cheetara, come in!"

"Cheetara here, Lion-O."

"Put Snarfer on watch duty. Gather the remaining ThunderCats and rendevous with Sho at the given coordinates. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"How long before he arrives?" she asked.

"From the way he took off," Panthro replied, "ten minutes. Maybe less."

"Get there as soon as you can, but don't interfere," Lion-O ordered. "The Lunattaks called him out, not us. We can't risk them hurting Pumyra and WilyKat because we crashed the party."

"Understood. Cheetara out."

"Lion-O, what're we gonna do?" WilyKit asked, her voice tight and eyes wide. "We can't let them..."

"I hate to say it," he replied, cutting her off, "but for now their fates are in Sho's hands."

"I just hope that kid doesn't fly off the damn handle," Panthro's voice said over the ThunderClaw's comm system. "He doesn't have us backing him this time."

Weird, Sho thought as another stretch of desert raced beneath him. He focused the sensors on his helmet forward, his confusion growing into unease. He detected six life signs which had to be the Lunattaks, three Thunderians one of which had to be Grune, and a strange presence which did not quite register as alive. Mumm-Ra, then. As he raced nearer, two more presences came within range. One just as strange as Mumm-Ra, and another which almost conformed to a Zoanoid. Dyme, it had to be.

Looks like the gang's all together, he thought. But, where the hell is Lisker? Unless they all want to take me on at once, he'd be their best bet for taking me out. Why isn't he there? The telepathic link between them was inert at the moment, yet that wouldn't enable Guyver Two to hide from his sensors. The time for pondering ended abruptly at the sight of the dragon shaped tank in the distance. Pumyra and WilyKat hung from its snout, wrapped tightly in chains with tape securing their mouths. The sight of it made Sho's blood boil with rage.

To hell with convention, he thought. I won't give those bastards the chance to use my friends against me. The chains, he noticed, were easily breakable. He'd have them out of that predicament postehaste, then come back and settle up with Mumm-Ra and his cronies.

The links dug into her skin with merciless pressure, yet Pumyra refused to give what limited voice she had to her discomfort. She took deep breaths through her nose and ignored as best she was able the main gun of the Lunattaker which was at her and WilyKat's backs. They hadn't been suspended up there just for effect, she was sure, and worrying about that launcher going off would serve no purpose. She glanced sidelong at WilyKat, who stared out with eyes wide and bewildered. Puzzled, she followed his gaze.

What the? she thought as the aerial form of the Guyver raced closer and closer. Why is Sho here? Why's he alone? Pumyra had been certain that the Lunattaks would call out the ThunderCats and use their hostages as leverage to keep Guyver out of the equation. Had they called him out alone? Either they'd lost their heads or...

"Mmmm..." WilyKat moaned.

Or, she finished, wanting to voice her fears as well, Guyver Two was waiting in the wings. Pumyra couldn't help but recall how the other Guyver had mangled Sho so badly in their last encounter. As Guyver One drew nearer, she felt heat gather at her back as the launcher primed to fire and the situation resolved itself in her mind.

He'll try for a quick rescue, she thought, and the Lunattaks will fry us all!

"MMMMMMMMPH! MblMMM!" she cried, willing Sho to understand what she could not say.

"Time to leave!" he shouted as he covered the last few feet, a hand already reaching for the chains which suspended them.

"NMMMMPH! MM-MMM!" Pumyra shouted, shaking her head furiously. "GMMMPH!"

"Just a second..."

"Hold it, boy!"

Sho's hand stopped cold at Luna's screech. He glared down at his assembled enemies, eyeing the remote control in the hand of the Lunattak leader. He then looked back to Pumyra and WilyKat, both shaking their heads in the negative, and saw the glow pulsing behind them.

"Son of a bitch," he cursed, furious. Pumyra's muffled shouts of alarm made sense to him now.

"Break those chains," Red-Eye said, "and we fire the main gun!"

"I get it," Sho spat.

"Best get down here," Mumm-Ra added, his broken and jagged teeth showing in a rancid parody of a smile.

"I'll get you out of here," Sho said to them before descending to the throng below. His feet met with the hardpack of the desert amid a small cloud of dust as he glared at each of them in turn. "I'm here. Now let them go."

"Let me think," Luna said. "Hmmm... No."

"I see how it is. So, one at a time or all at once?"

"Oh, don't be so naieve dear boy," came a giggling voice from the opposite side of the strange vehicle. Sho took a long look at the dog-like person in Egyptian garb who came into view. "They are not your main concern here."

"I guess you are." Sho stared at him in complete bewilderment. Something was maddeningly familiar about the creature, his enhanced sight pointed out, but what?

"Tell me, Guyver One, what do you know of art?"

"What?!"

"Art! Performance! Oh, don't tell me you're a complete philistine! Well." It paused there, studying him with malevolent eyes. "I guess a brute such as yourself wouldn't trouble himself with the works of the Bard."

"What bard? What the hell are you babbling about?"

"Why, Shakespeare!" it howled, giving a pealing laugh that sent cold fingers down Sho's spine. "Such a fine playwright."

"'What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet'."

"AH! So you *do* have some artistry in your soul! Marvellous!"

"What do you want?!" Sho shouted, becoming more and more irritated and uneasy.

"I was hoping you'd ask," it said in reply, its voice now silky with dark joy. "What I want is to put on a show. Starring myself, of course. And you."

"What's this show called?" Sho asked, certain he knew the answer.

"'The Death of the Guyver'."

"I kinda thought that." It's arrogant, Sho thought. Instincts kicked in at that moment, notions of what he had once been becoming active. It's gotta have good reason to be. "So, what're they here for?" he asked, jerking a thumb at the gathering of evil which was now behind him.

"An audience. As well as your ThunderCat friends who have just arrived." At that moment, Cheetara, Lynx-O, and Bengali came into range of the sensor medals. "Don't worry," it said, "they won't be part of the show. Not the first act, at least."

"Do you really think they won't jump in?" Sho snarled. "You've got two of their own as hostages."

"They will not," Mumm-Ra said from behind. "I have made certain of that."

"Just you, me, and Dyme, huh?" Sho, despite his outward demeanor, was becoming more than a little worried.

"Good guess," Dyme said as the earth beneath the creature's feet flowed up into a humanoid shape to stand next to it.

"The stage is set," it began, "the players are assembled, and the audience is in place. Now, it is time to see how you perform!"

"Bring it on!" Sho assumed one of the combat stances Panthro had taught him, left leg in front of right, arms raised and ready.

"And now, I introduce myself," it said, its voice changing into a strange blend of frequencies. Muscle bulged beneath its skin, patches of white hair sprouting in its chest and forearm as the hands became black and scaled, the claws gleaming red. Its body nearly doubled in size, the neck becoming serpentine and two fangs sprouting out perpindicular to is maw and curving sharply downward. An additional pair of eyes grew in behind and above the two it already possessed. Four multi-jointed appendages shot out from its back, each ending in a claw-like pincer lined with white fur at its base. Sho took in the horrid image, and another memory was triggered of a creature frighteningly similar. "Once I bore the lowly name Ma-Mutt. Now," it said in its curious voice, "I am known as Enzyme!"

"Oh, no," WilyKit said at the sight of her brother and Pumyra chained and helpless. She then saw the creatures which Sho faced. "What are they?!"

"Bad news," Panthro replied as he leapt clear of the ThunderTank. "Lynx-O, is that barrier still in place?"

"I am afraid so," he said. "I can find no way to penetrate it."

"Then," Lion-O added, "Sho's on his own."

Oh, shit! Sho thought as he leapt back from Enzyme's lunging swipe, memories of that particular horror surfacing in fragments. Its speed was blinding, and his dodge had been barely in time. He landed securely only for the ground to shift beneath and throw off his balance. Enzyme spat something from its gaping maw, a green sludge that impacted with his shin and sent pain through the afflicted limb.

"How was that?!" Enzyme hooted as the armor melted beneath the coating of slime to leave it deformed and stiff. "I was remade into the perfect enemy for you! My body produces a substance which breaks down the structure of your armor!"

DAMNIT! Sho thought before dodging a lunging blow from Dyme's humanoid form. He had to finish this fast, he knew, but the speed at which this new Enzyme moved made using the megasmasher impossible. His right foot sank into Dyme's earthen form, sticking long enough for Enzyme to land a harsh blow to his right breastplate and rip through it easily. Sho flew backward to land in the soft spot Dyme had prepared for him. The soupy mud held like glue as Enzyme charged over to him.

Oh, no you don't. Sho engage the gravity controller, ripping free of Dyme's reach and leaving Enzyme striking only dirt. He locked onto Enzyme's back with the sonic buster when the whine of the Lunattaker's main gun reached him.

"You fly," Red-Eye said around a toothless smirk, "they die."

THINK! Sho commanded himself as he disengaged the gravity controller and dropped to the possessed earth. I've fought Dyme before, and I won. How? I gotta take him out first! Sho bounded to the left immediately after landing, gaining precious seconds as both Dyme and Enzyme missed him. Another fragment of memory came to him, of his previous battle with the Lost Number, and Sho nearly smiled. It would be close, but he could pull it off!

Sho allowed himself to land feet first on the soil which instantly coiled about his lower legs. He had to make this look good.

"Now you're mine!" Enzyme hooted as it lunged forward. Sho fell backward just before the fatal impact, extending his sonic swords as he did so. The twin blades impaled Dyme, a scream which was inhuman and horrid splitting the air.

"Yeah, that's the way!" Panthro cheered as the earth which comprised Dyme's transformed state began to undulate wildy, throwing the strange acid shooting creature along with the Lunattaks and company off-balance. Dyme's wail changed pitch wildly as pieces of its body began to fall off in clumps, reforming only to be cast off again by Sho's relentless attack.

"N... NooooOOOO!" Dyme shrieked as the waves of sonic force hammered through him again and again. "Not agaiiiinnn! NOT AGAIIINNN!" Desperate, he turned to Mumm-Ra only to find his master fighting to keep his balance. "HELP ME!"

"No way, Dyme!" he turned to the prone form of the Guyver, his twin blades deep in the earth. "This time, YOU STAY DEAD!"

Even though the layers of tape rendered him practically mute, WilyKat cheered Sho on as hard as he was able while Dyme crumbled away into dust. The rattling shake of the Lunattaker ended at once, leaving his wounded side aching anew yet his hopes soaring. If Sho could take down that dirt monster so easily, then whatever Ma-Mutt wanted to call himself now oughtta be easy pickings!

The next, terrible instant proved him very wrong.

Alright! Sho thought as he flipped himself back onto his feet. One down, one to...

"GYAAAAGH!"

Oh, no... Pumyra looked on in horrified despair as the Enzyme creature streaked toward Sho's unprotected back with speed defying its size. The pincers atop each tentacle-like growth from its back speared through Sho's arms and legs, pinning him as securely as any butterfly in a collector's case. Enzyme's clawed hands dug into Sho's ribs through the armor, melting it like ice cream before all six appendages hoisted him upward.

"And now," it said, flexing its serpentine neck, "your curtain call!" Pumyra could not look away despite her desperate desire not to see the shower of gore which gushed from the top of Sho's head, Enzyme's dripping fangs piercing and melting the strange armor and sinking into his brain. The gag swallowed her voice as she cried out his name in horror, of utter negation, of what she was witnessing. With a sickening crunch, the top of Sho's skull collapsed and Enzyme ripped free a large portion of his brain. The eyes of the armor, at the death of its wearer, winked out in an instant.

"No..." Lion-O's rage quickly boiled, his grip on the Sword of Omens whitening his knuckles amid cheers and cries of "Bravo!" from the Lunattaks. His teeth ground together of their own accord, heat within soaring with his pulse.

"Bastards," Panthro spat. He heard Cheetara's groan of dismay and revulsion at Enzyme's display of cruelty as it bounced Sho's corpse (and how strange it was to think of him that way, he thought briefly) about like a marionette.

"And that concludes Act One!" Enzyme roared in mad glee. "Sho, you were excellent! Take a bow!" With its tentacles, Enzyme manipulated Sho's lifeless body into a grim and sickening imitation of acceptance of accolades. "Now, after a brief interlude, Act Two shall begin!"

"And we're the stars in your gruesome display?!" Tygra shouted in outrage.

"It's not titled 'The Slaughter of the ThunderCats' for nothing!" Enzyme replied. It released Sho, kicking the dead human in the stomach on the way down so that he landed face-up.

"Get ready!" Lion-O snarled.

"You don't want to do that," came a gravelly, calm voice from his left. As one, the ThunderCats look over to find a thin, cloaked man standing half a dozen feet away.

"Who are you?" Bengali demanded.

"Just someone who knows quite a bit about Guyvers in general," he replied, the top half of his face concealed by the cowl. "In another ten seconds, that pseudo-Enzyme and the rest of that bunch are going to learn a few things about Guyvers as well."

Pumyra resisted the tears as best she was able, yet some still flowed at the sight of the human she had been coming to call a friend. She knew so little about him, yet the sudden loss of him was like a stab through her heart. WilyKat, she saw, was weeping openly, his eyes squeezed shut from the terrible sight.

"Mmmmkt," she tried, yet he did not hear her. Frustration mounted with alacrity at her inability to help him, Sho, herself, her friends as Mumm-Ra recited the chant which allowed him to change into his ever-living form. She struggled against her bonds, though she knew it to be futile, when a faint glimmer caught her eye from below.

The control medal? she thought, perplexed. Why is it glowing like that? What's... JAGA'S BEARD! which came out as a muffled scream.

"What's it doing?" Grune asked, suddenly nervous as the medallion on the Guyver's head began to glow. The shine grew by leaps and bounds, becoming near-blinding as the shriek of its inner workings reached a shrill pitch.

"Was this part of the script, Mr. Producer?" TugMug asked, feeling uneasy himself as the body began to twitch.

"This is... impossible!" Enzyme exclaimed. "It..."

"He's getting up!" Cheetara exclaimed.

"How?" WilyKit asked, her entire body shaking with fright. "Half his head's gone!"

"If the host is ever incapacitated for longer than thirty seconds," the stranger among them replied, "the control medal assumes command of the armor and what viable systems are left within the host."

"So you're saying that it's not Sho doing this?"

"That is correct, Lion-O. You are about to see," he began waving a hand toward the insane tableaux, "a Guyver's full wrath, unfettered and raw. Not many ever see this and, of that number, far fewer live to tell about it."

"Just what're you saying, here?" Panthro demanded.

"Your friends are in no danger. However, if you wish to survive what's about to occur, you must do as I say."

"Heed him, Lion-O!" The ephemeral form of Jaga appeared before him, his voice hard and commanding. "I know not this man's name, but there is no lie in his words!"

"Very well," Lion-O said. "What would you have us do?"

"Just watch."

Ma-Mutt/Enzyme glared at the mutilated, and somehow active, Guyver as its' now-red eyepieces seemed to study each of them in turn. Anger warred for dominance with fear as he prepared his next assault. The Ancient Spirits hadn't told him anything about this!

"Call me stupid," Alluro said, "but shouldn't he be dead by now?"

"You're stupid," Enzyme replied, "and yes. But, some actors just don't know when to give up the stage!"

Enzyme rushed forward, spewing a glob of corrosive slime which Guyver easily dodged. Strike after strike, swipe after spit, the Guyver deftly danced about his attacks in utter and eerie silence.

"Fight back, damn you!" Enzyme shouted, lunging forward with a sweeping right arm followed by two of the pincered tentacles. Guyver, as if he'd heard, responded by dashing into the arc of the swing and searing agony raced up Enzyme's side as his arm and both tentacles were severed neatly to land on the dirt oozing corrosive blood.

Guyver suffered as well, hopping back out of range. The plates covering his right arm were twisted and still running in some spaces, the sonic sword snapping off at the base to clatter onto the ground.

"Ghu... What the hell ARE you!"

"That's what I want to know," Bengali said in stunned shock. "What's going on here, anyway?"

"The Guyver falls under the mental sway of its host to better optimize the symbiote's relationship with him," the unknown man replied. "However, without that host aboard as a sort of moral compass, the Guyver reverts to its actual nature."

"A killing machine," Lynx-O said calmly.

"It *is* a weapon, after all. It won't run away."

Just then, Guyver moved once more. It leapt toward Enzyme, only to be speared through the solar plexus with one of its remaining tentacles. Guyver did not miss a beat in firing the head beam directly into the closest joint of the appendage, severing it before snatching it free of his body with a sick pop.

"Sacred Leoran," Cheetara breathed, invoking the name of the first Thunderian monarch, "doesn't it feel pain?!"

"Guyver does not know pain. Nor fear or mercy. Its only instinct is to survive."

Enzyme barely managed to avoid the missile which had once been part of him as it sailed close enough to split the skin on the side of his face. Despite the haze of agony and the loss of blood, he still heard the *thunk* of the projectile impacting something soft. A quick glance showed the Lunattak leader, Luna, flying backward from her mount with said appendage firmly in her chest. He barely had time to register the little freak's death before a pair of arms circled his elongated neck and began to tighten with unbelievable force. His air cut off and stress on his vertebrea increasing exponentially, Enzyme reached about with his surviving arm and dug his claws as deeply as he could across Guyver's armored back. His last-ditch move proved fruitless as all feeling vanished with the sound of his neck breaking and consciousness fading.

"MMmmmmmm..." Pumyra could only watch in a mix of utter horror and scientific fascination. Sho, she knew, could not be controlling the Guyver. Then who or what was?

The control medal, she realized as Amok began wailing over Luna's death. From her hazardous vantage point, she found she could actually see into the remains of his brain and noticed that the visible tissue was writhing. No. It was regrowing! Had she not been so stunned at that notion, Pumyra would have shaken her head in disbelief. Even his miraculous recovery from the beating Lisker had given him didn't measure up to this!

Amok, in his simple and stupid way, stared down at the deceased form of Luna which lay on the ground, an island in an ocean of her own blood. He had been her mount since before she could walk, though she never quite managed to get the hang of that, and loved her in what limited way he was able. Grunting and snarling, he turned to face the Guyver, actually managing to cry over her loss.

"You kill Luna!" he screamed, hatred consuming his small mind. "Amok kill you BACK!"

"We have to get Pumyra and WilyKat out of there!" Lion-O shouted as Amok charged the Guyver. The Lunattaks masive arms came down in an arc that would have shattered a boulder, yet Guyver caught each one and held them firmly in place.

"Your friends are safe," the unknown man said in response. At that moment, Guyver yanked back on Amok's arms, bringing a tortured wail from the hulking beast before a solid kick to his chest sent him sailing backward...

With each of Amok's arms still in the Guyver's iron grip.

"Care to tell me how the hell you figure that?!" Panthro demanded over Amok's howling screams. The Lunattak, for his part, lay writhing in a rapidly expanding lake of crimson. Guyver cast the arms aside with as little care as anyone swatting an insect before making an unnervingly graceful somersault to land astride Amok's abused torso. His right arm lanced downward, crushing Amok's skull and sending a radiating splatter of gore across the hard surface of the desert.

"There's Grune!" WilyKit said, pointing to the retreating shape of a Skycutter bearing the Thunderian and the unmistakeable form of Chilla.

"Hmph. Those two are the only ones in that motley group to have shown any intelligence."

"Again, damnit!" Panthro said, stalking over to the hooded man. "How the fuck can you say our people are safe!"

"The Guyver," he explained, "while in defense mode, will crush anything it sees as a threat to itself and the host. Do you honestly think your two friends can pose a threat like that?" He pointed to their suspended forms in emphasis. "Those chains, Panthro, are what will keep them from harm."

"What about Grune and Chilla?" Tygra asked as TugMug, Alluro, and Mumm-Ra each began an assault on Guyver.

"They got far enough away in time. It will not bother to chase them. Once all threats have been dealt with, the control medal will dedicate all its energy into restoring Sho."

Mumm-Ra was at an utter loss for how such a promising plan could have turned to shit so quickly. TugMug's gravity carbine fired over and over, Guyver evading each round before closing in swinging its remaining blade downward to slice the squat Lunattak lengthwise. Before the two halves of TugMug's body could hit the dirt, Alluro threw the remade orb of his psych club only for the Guyver to slap it away in a cloud of dust and jagged fragments.

"NO! GET AWAY! NNOOO..." With an upward axe kick, Mumm-Ra heard Alluro's skull separate from his spine at the base. The skin stretched almost comically, leaving Alluro's head dangling loosely between his shoulders. Guyver did not lose a moment, evading both Mumm-Ra's burst of power and Red-Eye's disc.

The emerald beam on Guyver's helmet fired twice, each bolt piercing the toothless Lunattak's eyes and leaving them a running ruin of glop. Red-Eye grabbed his upper face with one hand, the other waving about frantically as he screamed at the full capacity of his lungs. In an instant, Guyver's hand encased Red-Eye's skull and a gout of brain matter and crushed skull fragments sprayed liberally about the area. Guyver stood there a moment longer before releasing Red-Eye's lifeless and twitching corpse whence it fell gracelessly to the earth.

Holy SHIT! WilyKat thought, using one of Panthro's aphorisms. He gazed about in awe at the destruction, the complete and total carnage which had once been a group of the ThunderCat's deadliest enemies. He then looked at Sho, whose red eyes were glaring directly at Mumm-Ra, with a shiver of fear.

He hasn't even looked at us, he thought. In fact, the Wildcat realized with dawning comprehension, he hasn't even attacked! He's just *counter*attacking! Wide-eyed, he turned his head to lock gazes with Pumyra.

"MMMbl. MMM MMt MMk rrrss." DAMN TAPE! he raged. Pumyra stared at him quizzically at first until he started pointing his head at the two below. Then to the ThunderCats and that weird guy in the cloak.

"What does it take to kill you?!" Mumm-Ra shouted before loosing another blast of magic.

What is he trying to tell me? Pumyra tried to puzzle through his muffled words and strange actions. Pointing to Sho and Mumm-Ra, pointing to the other ThunderCats, nodding to me...

A pattern began to emerge, and were her wrists not chained she would have slapped a hand to her forehead for not seeing it sooner. Sho, or the control medal, was only attacking when attacked itself! WilyKat was looking at her again, and she nodded her understanding. The unknown man standing near Lion-O must be telling them all the same thing, she realized. That's why they haven't joined in! Pumyra let free a muffled chuckle at the irony of it all.

For once in my life, she mused, I'm actually *happy* to be tied up!

By all the hells, Mumm-Ra thought as Guyver dodged yet another burst of power, what is he made of?! Guyver charged forward far faster than he anticipated, his remaining blade slashing deep into his chest. Mumm-Ra roared in pain before an uppercut forced his feet to part ways with the dirt. Before he could right himself, he felt Guyver's hands grip his arms like vices and drag him upward.

What the... OOOOF! The impact to his head sent him barrelling down the to the ground, the earth cratering at impact with Guyver's feet slamming into his stomach with equal force. With magics straining to keep him alive, Guyver crouched down to rain blow after blow to his face.

Though he would never admit it, he had used a random spell to knock the Guyver clear. Mumm-Ra rose shakily, mortified at this magnitude of failure.

"Surrender!" he roared, preparing a spell he would aim at WilyKat and Pumyra. "If... WHAT!" Mumm-Ra had to cancel the killing spell to summon energy for a shield as he saw Guyver grasp its fully-healed breastplates. The lenses appeared, glowing with their incredible light as Mumm-Ra was divided between his shield and his teleport.

Pumyra could merely watch as the immense beam lanced out into the world to envelop Mumm-Ra in its glare. The demon's right arm remained visible, hitting the ground as the body it had been attached to was utterly destroyed. She let out a muffle cry of disbelief as Mumm-Ra vanished into the light as it scorched the desert and whatever lay beyond.

Oh, my... she thought lamely as the light faded to leave a trail of devestation in its wake. Mumm-Ra's arm lay curling on the sand only to dissolve into dust.

Maftet, the Lynx god, rushed into the center of Mumm-Ra's treasure stash at a desperate pace. He felt his power draining as he sprinted, what little time afforded to him becoming scarce.

There! he thought, eyeing the chest which contained that which Mumm-Ra feared most. Maftet grasped its handles in his jaws and groaned in pleasure at the holy magic which surged through his frame.

Not much time left, he thought, abandoning his conscripted duties and phasing into the air outside the Black Pyramid.

To be worshipped just once more, Maftet thought as he galloped across the sky. Such would be so sweet. Maftet knew it to be impossible.

The White Pyramid, he thought as he carried the sacred talisman between his fangs and let its magics give him the life he needed. Mumm-Rana needed to see what her ancient enemy had kept from her.

"Moons of Thundera," Lion-O said lamely as the white beam faded and the sun began its journey below the horizon. He recalled the last time he had seen Sho use that weapon, and the great effect it had displayed. Mumm-Ra's arm lay inert and shrunken on the desert floor, shrivelling up and fading into dust with the ghost of an inhuman screech as the dark cloud was caught up in the winds and carried off.

"It is finished," the unnamed human said as he turned his back. "You will know when Guyver One has regained himself."

"What about..."

"For the last time, you need not worry about them," he replied crossly. "They will be fine. Do not approach Sho until the proper time."

"And that'll be?"

"You will know," he replied, turning to take his leave. "I am certain we will meet again. I look forward to that day, ThunderCats. Perhaps it is our destiny." The image of him faded into nothingness as he walked away, leaving the ThunderCats in an unusual spot.

"Look," Cheetara said. "Sho's wounds are almost healed." It was true. The various lesions Enzyme had inflicted on him, not to mention the savage injury to his head, were nearly gone. After a few moments, the gap in his skull sealed. The Guyver's eyes became white once more with the expulsion of gasses from the vents on his faceplates and a brilliant glow from the control medal.

"Uhhh..." was all he said before the Guyver left him and Sho fell to the earth in his human form.

"Let's move," Lion-O snapped once Sho hit the dirt.

Pumyra was glad to feel the earth beneath her feet as Bengali's skilled hammer smashed away her chains.

"LOVE!" she exclaimed, ecstatic at being able to speak once Cheetara removed the tape from her lips, and embraced him with all the ferocity she could muster.

"I'm so glad you're okay," his rough voice rumbled in her ear.

"WilyKat!" He looked up as his sister glomped onto him, holding on for what seemed to be dear life.

"Hey, Sis," he said somewhat weakly as he embraced her trembling form.

"You damned IDIOT!" she shrieked as she held onto him even tighter. "Why didja have to scare me like that?!"

"It's not my fault!" WilyKat exclaimed. He felt his sister's tears soaking his tunic, and held onto her even more tightly. "Hey, Kit, all's well that ends well."

"Just... just don't ever do that again!" she wailed, practically bawling.

"I won't," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Hey, big cat." he turned his head to find Pumyra standing arm-in-arm with Bengali.

"You okay?"

"Better than that," she replied with a soft smile. "WilyKat, I want to tell you that you were extremely brave just then."

"Awww... It was..."

"No," Pumyra cut him off. "You were amazing under those circumstances. Thank you."

"No problem," he replied with a furious blush.

"I should thank you as well," Bengali said. "From what I hear, you really helped Pumyra."

"It's just what any ThunderCat would do," he said with a furious blush.

"Hey, Bro, congrats!"

"Heh. I mean, it wasn't like we were in any danger, once I figured it out."

"Pumyra told me," Lion-O said as he ambled over.

"How's Sho?"

"Asleep in the ThunderTank for now. So, how did it come to you?"

"I saw that Sho wasn't going after them until they tried for him. It was kinda simple from there. I figured that weird guy must have been telling you the same thing."

"He was," Lion-O replied as he reached down to tussle WilyKat's mane. "There's more to that one than meets they eye, that's for sure."

"That was freakin' SCARY!" WilyKit exclaimed, clasping hands with her brother. "What if he'd gone after you?!"

"He didn't," WilyKat replied.

"Still," Tygra said, "we must have a council session upon our return to the Tower. This matter bears serious discussion." WilyKat glanced over at the ThunderTank in which Sho slept.

Thank you, he thought, embracing his sister even more tightly than before and feeling her return the gesture. I know you weren't at the controls, but as far as I'm concerned it was still you.

"Hmph. So, that's the way it is."

None of the jubilant crowd below noticed the golden-armored figure as it took to the air. Oswald Lisker fumed at Mumm-Ra's audacity in trying to kill Guyver One without him. Sho was *his* prey, damnit!

Just be grateful you're dead, you fucking freak, Lisker thought as the landscape raced beneath him.

In the next episode:

Sho awakens and is shown what the Guyver did while he was incapacitated. Doubt plagues the boy as he contemplates leaving the ThunderCats once and for all. Myrlha and Salvador reach Darkside, nearing the end of their perilous journey to find the ThunderCats. Sho faces a difficult choice as memories return of his most painful battle, and his resolve begins to weaken. Can Panthro bring him out of his funk, or will Sho depart the ThunderCats despite the grave threat Oswald Lisker still poses to Cheetara's life? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	21. Painful Recollections

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Twenty-One

What has happened?

Mumm-Rana rose from her golden sarcophagus, alert though confused. At the edges of her mystical perception she sensed a great recession in the forces of darkness on Third Earth. Puzzled, she took the first step toward her scrying pool before an ancient presence entered her awareness.

"Show yourself!" she commanded. Before her appeared a lynx whose coat was dull and balding, lesions showing where the fur had fallen away. A threadbare cloak of what had once been the purest midnight blue hung in loose disregard about its bony shoulders. "Maftet!" Mumm-Rana cried out in joy at seeing him, and alarm at his current state. Between his fangs dangled a box wrought with ancient holy releifs.

"Mumm-Rana," he said once he placed his burden upon the floor. "Long have I wished to see you again."

"How have you escaped your bondage to Mumm-Ra?" she asked, kneeling down before the panting lynx and placing a loving hand atop his head.

"The demon is destroyed." Mumm-Rana took an involuntary gasp at those four words.

"Impossible!"

"It... is true. At least," Maftet took a great breath, as though the effort of speaking was nearly too great for him, "his body is. If he returns, it may be the work of centuries."

"How has this happened?!" Mumm-Rana asked, joyous.

"I know not... dearest one. I have used up... the last of what little power I had left to bring... you this."

"This is from Mumm-Ra's trove?" she asked, eyeing the treasure.

"What is inside," he said, "is written in an ancient tongue, its words protected by ten thousand blessings. The sight of it... is too painful ghaaakkk... to Mumm-Ra's eyes. He had it sealed within his tomb... to keep it from you."

"Maftet, do not exert yourself further," Mumm-Rana pleaded, tears flowing at the wretched sight of him.

"I must... What is inside is the rest... of the Prophecy."

"The Prophecy of Destruction?!" she asked, incredulous.

"Use it... well..." Maftet, his strength depleted, collapsed on the pristine floor of the White Pyramid.

"Maftet..." She cupped his muzzle with her other hand, bringing his once-noble and fierce visage to her own.

"To be in the light," he said, his voice faint and dreamy, "once more... To be with... you... my love..."

"It shall be done," Mumm-Rana said, choking back tears she thought long since dried. She summoned her restored power, feeding it into the dying form of Maftet. His deteriorating body faded into a sphere of the purest light which pulsed in the manner of a living heart. Slowly, the light neared the side of her sarcophagus to rest at its head. With a final spell, the light coalesced into the proud and regal lynx he once had been carved in relief by her place of rest.

Mumm-Rana knelt beside the stone form of him, embracing it in remembrance of the last time she had been with him. Before Mumm-Ra had destroyed his power by way of slaughtering his worshippers and enslaved his spirit. Their one night of fire still ignited the sorceress's dreams in her slumber, he in his true form and her still mortal. Pushing aside the cruelties of fate, she kissed the top of the statue's head lovingly.

"Rest, dearest Maftet," she said, her voice still trembling with emotion. At one time his high presitess, only once his lover, and now vanguard of the Ancient Spirits of Light, Mumm-Rana rose to her feet and summoned the ancient chest to her hands. "I must know what has transpired before I attempt to translate this," she said as she cradled the box and finished the journey to the scrying pool. Mumm-Rana waved her free hand over the serene water, she saw the Destroyer in its depths.

I should have known that thing would be involved, she thought sourly as the scene played out. He was still deceiving the ThunderCats, she saw, and still endangering them with his existence. She saw an enhanced Ma-Mutt seemingly kill the Destroyer in a manner she would not wish on her worst enemy, then saw him rise again despite the savage wound in his head.

He's certainly tough to put down, she thought recalling her own encounter, but keeping him down is another matter altogether! One by one, as they tried to finish the task of slaying him, Ma-Mutt and nearly all of the Lunattaks fell before him. Lastly, it was Mumm-Ra's turn. The intense light from his chest enveloped all but Mumm-Ra's arm, leaving only it and a massive path of destruction.

Amazing, she thought bitterly. The destruction of her most ancient enemy brought about by another force of evil. And this one could not even summon its full power yet!

"He has grown stronger," she said to the avatars of the Ancient Ones.

"Indeed."

"Had I been able to kill him then... Perhaps this remaining piece of the Prophecy will contain some clue?"

"The protections upon the chest are quite powerful," they replied as one. "Removing them will require time."

"The one thing I have in abundance," Mumm-Rana said with a rueful shake of her head, "and Third Earth may be running out of."

The sun had long since set as the ThunderCats took their seats about the control center of the Tower of Omens. Disposal of the corpses of the Lunattaks had been simple enough with the flamethrower with which Panthro had replaced the water launcher. The remains of Ma-Mutt, on the other hand, had dissolved into a bubbling puddle of sludge entirely on its own. Determining the functional nature of the Lunataker and SkyTomb had also proven uncomplicated, if somewhat ponderous.

"I now call this meeting to order," Tygra said after a sip of hot coffee. "Turmagar, thank you for joining us."

"You told me the tactical situation had drastically changed," the Tuska commander replied, "but I began to wonder in what way when I saw you escorting SkyTomb. My men received the Lunattak transmission as well."

"I'll make this brief. Save for Chilla, who managed to escape with Grune, The Lunattaks have been eradicated. Also, Ma-Mutt has been killed. It is difficult to say with Mumm-Ra, but I am confident in assessing that, at the very least, he will be out of our hair for a while to come."

"To think Sho capable of such a thing," Turmagar whispered, impressed. "Truthfully, I didn't think he had it in him."

"Technically," Lion-O responded, "it wasn't Sho."

"Pardon me?"

"Perhaps, Turmagar, it would be better to show you," Tygra said. "Following Lynx-O's example, Panthro has configured the recording equipment on all of our vehicles to automatically make a record of the Guyver's confrontations in order to garner real-world data on his abilities until a controlled test can be arranged. Per our own laws, Sho is aware of this and approves." The replay began on the main viewer. Unlike the last recorded battle, likewise with the Lunattaks, no one made jokes or cracked wise. Pumyra, however, blushed slightly in embarrassment at the sight of herself dangling helplessly before the Lunattaker's main gun.

"Unbelievable," Turmagar said at length once the recording had finished. "I had no idea his armor was so incredible! You say Sho was, in fact, dead during this battle?"

"That's impossible to determine," Pumyra spoke up. "The damage his brain suffered would indicate that Sho had been murdered by that Enzyme creature. Though I'm unfamilair with human brain structure, I did see first-hand what I could only call total regeneration of the organ."

"In other words, you don't know," Lion-O said.

"That's correct. Tygra and I both inspected Sho visually, finding no sign of injury whatsoever. After council, I'll return to the infirmary to conduct a more thorough scan."

"This brings us to another point," Tygra said. "We have all seen with our own eyes what the Guyver is capable of without Sho in control. The question we must ask ourselves is, what if this happens again?"

"Before that," Pumyra said, seeing the incredulous look on WilyKat's face, "we should examine the exact circumstances regarding Guyver's actions, and how they differed from any behavior we have seen from Sho."

"Seconded," said Panthro.

"Very well. Since you and WilyKat had a much closer vantage point to the... action... please give us your views."

"He saved us!" WilyKat exclaimed.

"As WilyKat noticed," Pumyra began, "the Guyver did not initiate any offensive measure. Its methods were defensive. Violent beyond measure, I grant you, but defensive."

"I noticed that as well," Lion-O offered. "Pumyra's testimony confers with what the unnamed human said about the Guyver's defense mode."

"He did seem to have intimate knowledge of Guyver's functions," Tygra said, "And his words proved true."

"What we must remember," Lynx-O added, "is that what we saw was the Guyver acting on its own. Sho had no control over it at the time."

"And that leads us back to the original point," Tygra said gravely. "If this does happen again, we might not be able to get clear in the thrity seconds required for the control medal to assume operational status. Though he did not say as much, his warning for us not to threaten it makes clear that the control medal does not distinguish friends from enemies."

"Ma-Mutt was remade just for the purpose of taking Sho out," WilyKat argued. "Really, how many natural creatures on Third Earth could do it?"

"We don't know the answer to that," Tygra replied softly. Ominous silence stretched between the gathered, growing thicker as seconds ticked by.

"I can think of none," Turmagar added, mostly to break that silence, "but we Tuskas have not mapped much of this continent beyond Darkside."

"Let me get one thing straight here," WilyKat said, his temper rising. "Are you saying we should kick Sho out because of what happened today?"

"No one's saying that," Panthro replied. "Right now, I'd no more ask him to leave than I'd have invited Slythe for dinner."

"Instead of chasing our tails with what we don't know, " Cheetara said, "why don't review what we do?"

"Such as?"

"He can't be brainwashed and unleashed on us for starters, Tygra," Lion-O answered. "The Lunattaks paid for that scheme, as well."

"They paid the ultimate price for this latest one," Bengali growled. And as far as I'm concerned, they had it coming! he did not say though he could not hide it in his voice.

"I move we table this," WilyKit piped up from beside her brother. "We're getting nowhere."

"Seconded," Pumyra added.

"Moving on," Tygra said, shifting mental gears with a little difficulty.

So, Chilla thought absently as she stared out at the rising moon, this is the hedquarters of the Mutant Army. She ignored the fading stench of Mutant as she raised the goblet, her fifth, of kirgash to her lips. The steaming brew had at this point no taste whatsoever, merely burning its way to her stomach and further distancing her mind from a truth that refused to fully go away.

They were gone, now. Even the deliterious effects of the booze racing its way through her bloodstream could not dredge up any feelings of sadness and regret. She'd never had much use for Luna or that hulking Amok she rode about on. TugMug and Red Eye had never held any high esteem in her eyes either. Alluro, useful as he could be when she was hard up for a wild romp, had been merely another presence in her existence. Just another toy like the humans she had enjoyed, however one she did not go so far as to break when bored with him.

The ThunderCats, no doubt, would have taken possession of SkyTomb and their vehicles. For them not to would be complete folly. She was homeless, weaponless, and alone. Which was why she was still naked and drinking her cares away while Grune slumbered on the bed. Had anyone told her that she would one day resort to letting someone screw her in order to survive, she would have scoffed before freezing them on the spot. She would have done so to Grune when he made his proposal if not for the fact that she had seen with her own two eyes how the Guyver, with half its fucking *head* ripped off, had dismembered and then slaughtered Amok. The ThunderCats would never just let her roam about freely, and the prospect of facing their pet monster without serious backup was far from attractive.

Pet, she thought. Hell, that's pretty much what I've let myself become. She gazed over at him, lying on his back and breathing easily. To kill him would take so little effort. At least it would if she didn't need him so badly. It was to survive, she knew, but having to service him like that still demeaned Chilla to no end.

"I know what you're thinking." The sudden deep basso rumble of his voice in the dark startled her in spite of the kirgash she'd consumed. "You want to kill me right now."

"Whatever makes you think that, Grune?" She kept her tone soft, seductive. The alcohol helped in that regard.

"The way you've been glaring at me for the past five minutes, for starters," he replied, moving up to a relaxed sitting position against the headboard. "We Thunderians have excellent night vision.

"That right?" She did not have to pretend to be a sheet or two into the wind as she rose to let the light of the moon play across her tight, blue-tinted body. "Maybe I just wanned more, 'n was pished you were shleepin'."

"I'm wide awake now."

Pathetic, Grune thought as Chilla sauntered over still naked as the day she was born. Or hatched. Or however Lunattaks came into being. He knew full well her pledge to do anything for him to let her on the back of the Skycutter had been made in desperation, and he knew her attempts to seduce him on arrival at the still-incomplete Fortress Plun-Darr had been merely an attempt to get in his good graces more than in his pants.

"I'd have never thought a woman so cold could feel so warm," he purred as Chilla's breasts pressed into his torso and her lips found his neck." It wouldn't hurt to play along for a while, at least. It was still rather fun, and Grune hadn't known a woman since his return to the mortal coil.

"Salot bout me you don' know," she replied drunkenly.

Oh, I know plenty about your kind, he thought as his hands traced her spine. You'll try to kill me the first chance you get. Or, you'll seduce someone into it. That's when I'll end this little charade.

Until then, however, Grune fully intended to enjoy himself.

It's a good thing my sleep cycle's already shot to hell, Pumyra thought as she studied the results of the medical scanner's latest analysis. The normality of the readout was, perversely, the reason it was so odd. Despite the fact that the scanner was set to maximum sensitivity, it could detect no sign of injury to either Sho's brain or his body. His vitals, while somewhat low, were rock steady. Every result showed only that her patient was in a very deep slumber.

How in Jaga's name can the Guyver *do* that? she wondered, glancing at the deep-freeze where the cell samples from the fight with Lisker were stored. Wounds like the one Sho suffered earlier in the day were uniformly lethal regardless of species. Or, so she had thought. In medical terms, the human was proving to be the exception to practically all the rules. And yet, when the mine had collapsed, he'd run the very real risk of bleeding to death and had required time to heal in the conventional way.

The armor only protects his body while he wears it, she thought as she took a seat at her desk. It protects his mind regardless, but only against actual psychic assault. That explianed how Alluro had managed to hypnotize him and how the Guyver reversed the process...

"... once he summoned it..." she finished aloud. Without it, Sho was as vulnerable as any other human. If he was killed while in his natural form... What would the Guyver do? Nothing? Summon itself? Revert to *its* natural state for another host? The hiss of the door sliding open jostled her from her train of thought and the shadow of someone she didn't expect to see stood in the shaft of light.

"Can't sleep, Kit?" she asked after the young girl entered the infirmary.

"One of those nights," she replied. Pumyra noticed, in the clearest clinical terms, how WilyKit was filling out and blossoming into the woman she would one day be beneath the pajamas she wore. Before long, she and her brother would have to have separate quarters. The would have been split up by now if not for the fact that the Tower of Omens hadn't been designed with housing large groups in mind. It was a wonder that they could all share this space as comfortably as they did.

"Still wired after what happened?"

"I'm pretty much past that," WilyKit said. "It's my brother that's the problem."

"Oh?"

"He's snoring so loud it's like trying to sleep next to the ThunderTank, only without the muffler."

"Is that right?" Pumyra asked around a hearty laugh. "I'm afraid I don't have anything in stock for snoring."

"That's okay," WilyKit said as she leaned against the desk. "Panthro always has a spare mallet or two in the hangar."

"That'll cure it, for sure," Pumyra replied and both of them fell into fits of giggling. WilyKit, once past her good humor, turned her gaze to Sho's slumbering form and Pumyra saw a curious mix of emotions flicker across her face.

"So," she began, "he's gonna be okay?"

"As far as I can tell," Pumyra replied. "He'll miss first light tomorrow, but that's about it."

"Amazing," she said distractedly. "It's kinda like he's invincible."

"I wouldn't go that far," Pumyra said in rebuke, "but he's pretty durable."

"Are you gonna be here all night?"

"I was just about to leave, actually."

"Mind if I... sit here for a little while?"

"Sure," Pumyra replied, grinning. "Just don't stay up too late."

"No problem. See you in the morning."

With that, Pumyra rose and took her leave. As the door shut behind her, Pumyra shook her head. WilyKit's first crush, she realized. Pumyra remembered her first crush, way back when on Thundera, a handsome specimen of the Leopard clan. She had been around WilyKit's age, and he'd been a famous Snarfball champion. Of course, she learned, most every female in the area she'd grown up in had a major crush on him, but at the time she had felt it to be her and her alone.

Though fourteen was a tad late for one, and Sho wasn't Thunderian, Pumyra had to smile at it as she neared the doorway into the room which WilyKit shared with her sibling. Nothing in Thunderian law stated that a couple couldn't involve someone of another race, and in terms of Thunderian men WilyKit's options were no option at all, so it made sense for Sho to be her first crush. Not to mention that he'd saved their lives on more than one occasion.

Just let her down easy, Sho, she thought when she reached the entrance to the twins' quarters.

"Naaahh..." she said before opening the door. As expected, only WilyKat was in there, stone asleep and silent. "Thought so..."

"SNNNXXRRRXXKKK!"

"Or not," she said, shutting the door once again. "Thank goodness Bengali doesn't do that." With another look back at the direction she'd come, Pumyra resumed the trip to her and Bengali's quarters

WilyKit looked at him, sound asleep beneath the sheets of his bed, with a maelstrom of emotions playing within her. Powerful and yet weak. Grown, and yet still close to her own age. Human, and in many ways Thunderian. How much of that insane equation was him, or Guyver, or both?

"I don't know if you can hear me," she said in a whisper, "but I'm glad you came." Sho didn't stir in the slightest at her words. She stared, Sho unresponsive, as he breathed in and breathed out. "I wasn't sure how I felt about you until now. I've never seen anyone give their life for us before. Kinda, anyway." She adjusted the collar of the pajama top she wore. "I guess I wanna say thanks. For being you." She ducked her head closer to his ear. "And for not snoring." With that, WilyKit leapt into the bed just across the small space from his and hammered the pillow into a comfortable shape.

"Ahhhh... Much better..." WilyKit yawned just before sleep claimed her.

The spasms faded at long last, leaving Agito panting and dry heaving in their wake as the moon began to dip into the west. It had been necessary to take such an enormous risk, he knew, using the Guyver's teleport to reach the ThunderCats and warn them not to accost the wounded Sho. The fact that he had learned how to access that function without summoning the armor itself was the only reason he wasn't dead now, and he hadn't been sure he would survive it anyway.

It just would not have done for Sho to awaken to the realization that the Guyver had killed people he cared for. Again. The psychological shock would have destroyed him, and Agito needed his mind in one piece. He had no particular use for the ThunderCats other than keeping Sho in one place and sane, yet keeping them alive had for a moment become his responsibility.

Too close, he thought as he stared at the puddle of vomit he could barely hold his head above. If Sho doesn't recover his memory soon...

He had managed to slip away unnoticed just as the first rays of the sun were bathing Third Earth, and so much the better for it as far as he was concerned. This was it. The final straw. As memories from the long-distant past came up from the depths of his mind like acidic bile, he had made his exit from the Tower of Omens and the lives of the ThunderCats. Perhaps it was cowardly of him, not even facing up to what he had done...

No. What the Guyver had done.

Does it matter? he asked himself as he set down among the charred and blackened ruination that had once been the Treetop Kingdom. The home of the late Willa. With the armor's enhanced sight, he picked out pieces of knives, blackened arrowheads, even shattered fragments of bone that had once been part of living, breathing people. Women, men, children...

Do you see this? Sho asked, forcing his thoughts into the control medal. Do you see what you've started? Do you even care, you son of a bitch?!

Silence...

Sho tread gingerly across the scorched earth, his feet crunching the burned-out husks of trees, and would have shed tears if the armor would have allowed it. He tried to envision how the Treetop Kingdom had looked when he had first awakened and, disturbingly, found he could not clearly recall. So much had happened so fast that... what? In the rush of blowing things up and dismembering enemies, he'd simply forgotten how lovely (if somewhat peculiar) a place it had been? He thought then of Willa, the shape of her body, the cascade of midnight hair...

Nice one, Sho, he thought with a healthy dose of disgust. She helped you, and you're remembering how hot she was.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into the growing day. "I never meant for this to happen. All of you should still be here, and I should've stayed... wherever the hell I was before I came here.

"None of you should be dead now. Oh, God, I'm so sorry..." Sho lingered a moment longer to further survey the senseless destruction before commanding the gravity controller to lift him skyward as fast as it could. He charged off in a direction chosen at random, refusing to visit the ruins of Cat's Lair as he had first thought to. He knew how much they had suffered because of him, even seen it first hand. Sho needed no further reminders of it.

Her brother conspicusously absent, WilyKit paced about the grounds of the Tower of Omens in search of someone she knew she wouldn't find there. Still, she kept scanning the sky in expectance of him to appear. Sho's disappearance bothered her more than she cared to admit if only for the questions she'd faced on waking up that morning.

She had entered the infirmary mainly in search of a quiet place to sleep. Such had been happening more frequently as WilyKat's snoring grew steadily louder. She ended up explaining as much, yet the other ThunderCats looked at each other as though there had been another explanation. True, she was curious about him, but they seemed to think she had other feelings for Sho.

Not that he isn't cute or anything, she thought as she watched Turmagar's men performing drills. But, why would he just run off like this?

Did he somehow remember what the control medal did? There was no telling, at least without him present to verify. Maybe he just needed to be alone for awhile. WilyKit could relate to that. Having spent so much time in close proximity with WilyKat, she knew what it was like to seek solitude once in a while.

Pumyra looked up from her station in the infirmary and into the eyes of Cheetara sitting across from her. The two women simply stared at each other for a moment, each waiting for the other to speak.

"Is something wrong?" Cheetara asked, taking the initiative.

"No," she replied. Though trying for mild, she came off as awkward. There was something wrong, alright, and only after the action was over had it made itself known.

"I'll take that as a yes." Cheetara reached across the desk and took Pumyra's right hand in both of hers. "Talk to me. What is it?" Pumyra tried to force the words out of her throat, yet they stubbornly refused to pass. "Does it involve Sho?" Cheetara asked, meaning the actions of the Guyver when he had lost control over the armor.

"No, not that. And not that's he's taken off without a word, either."

"What happened to you in SkyTomb?"

"Nothing I haven't already said in council."

"There's something you haven't said," Cheetara replied, gently stroking Pumyra's hand. "Did the Lunattaks do something to you in there? Aside from Chilla, that is."

"Other than drag Kat and I around like luggage and leave us in a deathtrap, you mean?! I'm sorry," she said on seeing Cheetara's eyes widening. "It's just that... it should be over, but... I know I'm still green when it comes to being a ThunderCat. I knew the risks that came with being named..." Pumyra paused, the moment having been reached. "It was in the jungle, when Dyme first captured me." Cheetara remained silent and Pumyra tried to draw reassurance from them. "I saw WilyKat strung up in the trees, and when that monster disarmed me... he... he fondled me."

"Pumyra..."

"It's not the first time someone's copped a feel from me," she added in explanation. "Truth be told, I'm surprised I don't have swollen knuckles from the men I've had to slug for doing just that. It's just that... I was so certain that Dyme was going to... you know... rape me." She said the last in a small voice, humiliated at the memory. Cheetara's grasp grew more firm, the fingers of one hand intwining with Pumyra's own.

"All I could think about..." At this point the tears started and she was utterly powerless to stop them. "All I could think about was WilyKat seeing something that horrid. I... I offered myself to Dyme." There. It was out. At the sound of a chair skidding across the floor, Pumyra looked up to see Cheetara circle about the corner of the desk and crouch at her side. The Cheetah's arms wrapped about her shoulders, a hand holding Pumyra's head to Cheetara's shoulders. "It was... it was the only thing I could think of! I..."

"If you're thinking anyone'll condemn you, think again," Cheetara said, lovingly stroking Pumyra's hair. "You made the only play you could." Cheetara pulled back, staring directly into Pumyra's eyes. "We're ThunderCats, no matter how much experience we have under our belts. There are times when we're faced with compromising positions and extremely difficult choices. The choice you faced, it was one of the hardest any of us could have, man or woman."

"I know."

"Did Dyme..."

"No. Afterward, he said only that he couldn't bear to stop me, and then I was knocked out."

"Thank Heaven for small favors," Cheetara said, clearly relieved.

"But still, I can't help but ask myself what I would have done if he'd taken me up on it? Or worse, if he still didn't let WilyKat go? Or..."

"Stop it," Cheetara said firmly. "It's only natural to question yourself after something like that, even I do it. But, I learned a long time ago that once you start it can be hard as hell to stop. If you keep fretting over the past, you'll only drive yourself insane. And, if Dyme had taken advantage of it, you would still have been the better one. The braver one."

"Braver one?" It was Cheetara's turn to pause, a haunted expression lingering on her face.

Cheetara looked at the other woman, and knew she finally had to share this pain. Even though Lord Claudis and Lady Leona had helped a great deal, she had never before related the full tale to another. Here in the infirmary of the Tower of Omens, over fifteen years and an incalculable distance from where Thundera once graced the stars, sat someone else who had been faced with this, and needed the guidance of someone who'd been there.

And had made a different choice. Wordlessly, she guided Pumyra over to one of the empty beds and sat them both on the edge while bracing herself for what had to be done.

"Cheetara? What are you...?"

"I'd been a ThunderCat for only a year when I met him," Cheetara began, her eyes staring seemingly into the past. "Before Cougrix, I never believed in love at first sight. But, there I was, looking at him in all his glory in the royal court and it took all I had not to show what I was feeling. Quite a chore when you're naked, let me tell you." The Nobility only walked about nude in the Cat's Lair, she didn't need to explain. Out and about or in battle, they were fully clothed.

"It wasn't just the sight of him, either. More than his body, that face, the scent... he just seemed to exude this feeling of confidence. Cougrix was new, but he spoke and moved as though he were an old hand at the inner workings of Cat's Lair and Thunderian politics. And we had been recruited as warriors, not lawmakers."

"Cougrix, he felt the same?"

"So he told me when we finally worked up the nerve to admit our feelings for eachother. Six months of sidelong glances when we thought no one was looking, nervous attempts to start conversations, missions into the hinterlands of Thundera chasing down criminals and scouting Mutant landing sites... I'll never forget the night he told me he was in love with me."

"What happened? What did he say?"

"Nothing, at first. We were on the observation platform atop the Lair, when he pulls a telma orchid from behind his back and starts kissing me." She looked at Pumyra at this and chuckled at her wide-eyed expression. "I told you he was confident. When he pulled back, he had the most frightened look on his face and he told me that he'd wanted to do that since the second he saw me. Well, I told him that he just beat me to the punch, and he just... lit up all over. From there, well, I think you can figure out the rest."

"So, what happened to Cougrix? Did you two..."

"That," Cheetara replied, "is the point of this story." She took several deep breaths, preparing to delve into one of the most painful episodes of her life. "We'd been together a couple of months when we were chosen for a mission in the Nim-Kayla expanse. Royal Intelligence had information that a small Mutant scout force had landed not long before and had been using the Expanse as a base of operations. Our job had been to confirm Mutant presence and numbers so a strike force could put an end to them.

"We made our way into the Expanse, moving so silently I could have sworn I could hear our hearts beating. It turned out that R.I. had been correct about the Mutants, but not that it was a scout party. I managed to activate my emergency transponder before Ratar-O captured us."

"Ratar-O? I've only heard stories about that one, and none of them good!"

"Many of those are true. Ratar-O had been sent to covertly organize a platform from which the armies of Plun-Darr could strike at the capital. His guard force had managed to capture us, then dragged us in chains to Ratar-O's ship, the Rat-Star." Here she had to pause, the pain of it all still sharp and sanguine. In a shaky voice, Cheetara continued.

"Ratar-O had separated us. My arms were bound behind me, and he had entered my cell before I could begin to free myself. And then he... Ratar-O pulled out his member and ordered me to service it."

"Bastard..."

"Oh, he was at that. Of course I refused. Vehemently, at that. I was a ThunderCat, a warrior, pride of my clan and my family. And I was so, so arrogant. Ratar-O hadn't bothered binding my legs, and after managing to kick him in that organ he'd wanted to use on me, I got all of two steps beyond the door before a party of guards sprang on me."

"Cheetara..." Pumyra's hand appeared on her own, and Cheetara took some measure of comfort from the gesture.

"I fought as hard as I could, but there were six of them and they wasted no time in pawing at me, groping me... Ratar-O rose up from the floor and the look in his eye when he brandished those sai, I thought for sure that my number was up. For so long after, I wished it had been.

"Ratar-O snarled at me that I would regret what I'd done to him. I was so outraged, so insulted, I wasted no time in telling him what I thought of Plun-Darr, the Rat Clan, his men, and I might have made some rude remarks regarding his parentage and the size of his manhood. Ratar-O... perhaps I should show you." Releasing Pumyra's hand, Cheetara loosened the top of her leotard and lowered it to her waist. She turned to Pumyra and indicated the faded x-shaped scar just below her breasts.

"He did that to you?" Pumyra asked, shocked.

"Every day it's been a reminder," Cheetara replied as she pulled her uniform back up and re-centered her insignia. "After cutting me, Ratar-O ordered his men to bind my legs and gag me. Once they finished, he had them carry me into another cell, where I saw Cougrix. His wrists were secured to the ceiling by shackles which hung down only enough for his toes to touch the floor."

"Cheetara," Pumyra began, "you don't have to..."

"Yes. I do." Cheetara was holding back the tears with physical effort, now. "I won't tell you the specifics, I wouldn't want that to haunt *your* nightmares as well as mine. Suffice to say that, while Ratar-O was tormenting Cougrix, he kept mocking my inability to say anything to stop him. Pumyra, at that moment, I would have given him any part of my body he wanted just to make him leave Cougrix alone. The more I screamed into the gag, the more Ratar-O kept saying he couldn't hear me, that I... I had to speak up if I wanted to be heard... that..."

"Stop it, Cheetara. Don't do this to yourself!"

"I'm almost done. When it was over, Ratar-O stared me right in the eye and said I could have prevented it all, told me to enjoy what I'd purchased with my pride. I looked up at Cougrix, and after the Mutants left, he told me that I'd done the right thing. His last words to me were that he loved me." Cheetara could not continue for several moments as the horrid recollections came on their own now that the plug had been removed. Hot, noxious tears flowed freely as Cougrix's final words echoed relentlessly.

(Ya did good, Cheetie. *Never*... give in...

I... Love. Youuuu...)

"I had no idea..." Pumyra's stunned voice came as the tide of agony began to recede.

"I don't clearly remember the rescue party's attack," Cheetara said once she could trust her voice to remain steady. "But I do know that, before I recognized the shadow above me as Panthro, the first thing I said when the cloth was removed was to kill me and be done with it. For so long, I was dead inside."

"I never knew just how strong you really are, Cheetara," Pumyra said, her voice soft yet awed. "I guess I got off pretty easy."

"No," she replied, draping an arm about the other woman's shoulders. "In a situation like that, there's no getting off easy. There's only getting out alive."

"Are you saying that if you'd done what I did, then..."

"I'm not. Even if I'd submitted to Ratar-O, that was no guarantee for Cougrix. I know that now, but then? It was a question I asked myself over and over again, day in and day out. I kept wishing I could somehow go back to that moment, make the other choice."

"You seem to have recovered," Pumyra said, clearly abashed.

"Not entirely. Once in a while I'll catch myself thinking about Cougrix, or I'll believe I caught his scent or heard his voice. And sometimes, I can still hear his screams. Something like that changes you. If it weren't for the ThunderCats, and Lady Leona, I would never have come so far. When I saw what Grune did to Lion-O, for a brief moment, I was twenty years old again and all that happened all over again. That's why I was such a total wreck afterward. Also, that's why I will always be grateful to you and Tygra for saving him."

"This'll stay between us," Pumyra promised, "don't worry."

"Thank you." At that, Cheetara embraced the younger woman, and felt a great weight slide from her heart a little. Perhaps one day, she would tell Lion-O this story. Perhaps.

Lion-O wanted the full story as the ThunderTank rumbled across the Desert of Sinking Sands. He adjusted the vehicle's trajectory with ease born of much practice as the rolling dunes slid steadily past.

He had to know if Mumm-Ra was truly dead. The single worst enemy the ThunderCats had ever faced having met his end seemed too good to be true, and be damned if he'd move on that assumption a second time.

"I'm not sure if this is a good idea, Lion-O," Tygra said from his right.

"When we rescued our countrymen from Fire Rock Mountain," he began, "we assumed Mumm-Ra to be dead thanks to his attempt to seize the Star of Thundera's power for himself. Thanks to that, we ended up with the Lunattaks. I won't take that kind of chance again."

"And if he isn't?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Either way, given everything that's happened lately, I don't want to be blindsided with another threat he could pull out from his cloak to harrass us."

"If he is dead, then?"

"You won't see me mourning, that's for sure." They continued on in silence for a time, the desert seeming to stretch into infinity as the sun reached its zenith above. "I'll bet Panthro's having a blast."

"You didn't hear this from me," Tygra began in a conspiratory tone, "but the thought of looking under SkyTomb's hood had him happy as Snarf in a candyfruit grotto."

"I can believe it!" Lion-O hooted once he was done roaring in laughter. If it involved technology, one could expect Panthro to waste no time in dismantling it to see how it worked. Also, one could expect him to re-work what he found into something the ThunderCats could use. His engineering prowess had been responsible for their advanced technology on this galactic backwater known as Third Earth.

"Something's not right," Lion-O said as they neared the coordinates of the Black Pyramid. "The smell's wrong."

"I noticed that, as well," Tygra replied as Lion-O slowed the ThunderTank to a crawl. The scent of ozone from the constant lightning clouds was consipcuously absent as were any trace of said clouds. As the ThunderTank crept along, the two could not help but notice that the feel of lingering evil which always seemed to nag the edges of one's mind in the presence of such darkness was likewise absent.

"It's gone," Tygra said unnecessarily. "As though the Black Pyramid never fouled this stretch of Third Earth."

"It looks like Sho did it," Lion-O said in amazement when they reached the spot Mumm-Ra's unholy tomb once occupied. "I can't believe it."

"Sho," Tygra began, "didn't do this. Guyver did."

"And we're all better off for it. If this keeps up, that kid's gonna put us out of a job."

"You don't hear me complaining," Tygra replied. "Mumm-Ra and the Lunattaks both."

"Not all of them," Lion-O said as he plotted a course back to the Tower. "Even without SkyTomb and all its gadgets, Chilla can still cause plenty of trouble on her own. Not to mention that she's probably sided with the Mutant Army, wherever the hell they are.

"Besides," he contiued, "evil as pure as Mumm-Ra's never truly dies. It may take a long time, but I'm positive he'll be back."

"Then let's use the time we've been bought," Tygra said.

"Yes. We'll redouble our efforts to find the Mutants. We've got one last war to fight, Tygra," Lion-O said as the ThunderTank retraced its route, "let's have done with it and maybe we can finally enjoy some peace."

"I agree. Wholeheartedly."

A measure of peace, as he trod aimlessly through the gloom he had landed in several hours before, was all Sho wanted as the memory of the horror Guyver had committed so long ago replayed itself with no indication of relenting. He kept seeing the arm on the ground, the earth scorched by the megasmasher...

"Stop it," he commanded himself, though his voice was weak and weary. The atrocity in his past, coupled with what he could only imagine the triple-damned Guyver had done just the day before, dragged at his every step. His lack of food since awakening seemed insignificant next to the torrential whirlwind in his mind.

So many dead. Then and now. Why? What higher power deemed that he be a messenger of destruction? What had he done to deserve such a life? What had the ThunderCats done to deserve his shadow above them?

He knew he should return to the Tower, answer for what the Guyver had done, yet he just couldn't bring himself to do so.

Look at me, Sho thought, the world's oldest and most powerful coward. I don't deserve their friendship.

Little did Sho realize that he would be compelled to return in only moments, and that he would not be alone.

"What is that thing?" Myrlha managed between gasps, her bare feet stomping the ground and legs pistoning for all they were worth.

"A bone serpent!" Salvador replied from his place on her back. "I didn't know any were left!" However many were still alive mattered little next to the fact that one wanted to make them a snack. Myrlha kept running, breath coming in gasps and a painful stitch forming in her side. Salvador had told her of the dangers present in Darkside, and that the other two routes around it were unadvisable. Fire Rock Mountain, from the way he'd described it, she could believe but the Field of Chains seemed absolutely ridiculous.

Thundrainium pits, or having to dodge a myriad of enchanted chains. Either would be preferable to becoming a monster's next meal.

The rumbling of the massive snake's body grew closer as the two of them rounded another bend...

And found themselves faced with a sheer wall reaching up at least forty feet.

"No..." she said, desperately trying for a handhold. Nothing even approaching viable presented itself as frustration merged with blooming despair. "We came so far..."

"We did our best, Myrlha," Salvador said as he eased off of her back. "It just wasn't enough."

"It can't end like this!" she wailed as the bone serpent drew closer. The massive snake raised itself up on coming within range, jagged and wickedly sharp plates of bone covering its back and adorning its head like a terrible helmet. A pair of slitted, malevolent eyes glared out at them from beneath its calcified mask, alive with cruel intelligence. With an enraged roar, Myrlha picked up the nearest projectile she could find, a stone roughly the size of her fist, and let it fly to bounce harmlessly off of the natural armor.

What the hell was that? Sho thought as he heard the shout. Alarmed, he neared the edge of a nearby ravine and lurched in utter shock of what he saw. The bone-encrusted serpent was facing down two individuals, one tall and lithe and the other short and stocky, and the end of what he realized was a box canyon was at their backs.

Pretty obvious what's going on here, he thought with a resigned sigh. He had to help them, he couldn't just turn his back, and to do so he needed to transform.

"Guyver!" He waited, expectantly, yet nothing happened.

"Guyver!" he tried again, still with no success. Confused, Sho inspected himself to determine the problem.

"GUYVER!" Volume wasn't the issue as the two unknown people below began to cry out for help from anyone, anywhere.

What the hell's wrong with you? Sho demanded of the disobedient armor. Why won't you come to me?!

(The problem is not the Guyver,) the voice he hadn't heard in so long spoke in his mind. (The problem is you.)

(Me?!) Sho watched in growing horror as the strange, enormous snake began to inch closer to the helpless duo.

(In your fear of what it has done, you sealed it away. You remember what happened...)

(I do. I lost it then, too.)

(Yes. You must regain the power!)

(I...)

(The only one who has the power to save those two is you. If they die because you refuse to use it, then their blood is on your hands! Then you truly are a monster, a murderer!)

(How did I get it back last time?)

(You already know. Remember, Sho. Remember why you fought back then! Even after X-Day, after the fall, you fought on! Remember why you did!)

I won't run away again... The memory returned, filling Sho with determination that burned like the heart of a star and a resolve harder than the most tempered metals.

I won't run away...

I won't run away...

"I won't run away..." The connection returned and, had he a mirror at hand, he would have noticed his eyes glowing a deep and brilliant blue. The word burst from his lips as his feet parted company with the edge of the canyon.

Myrlha wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all as the bone serpent prepared its coiled muscles to strike. She forced her eyes to remain open for the last atrocity of her life. If she was to die a failure, then she would at least die a brave one.

"GUUUYYYYYVEEEERRRR!" The enraged roar shattered the moment, followed immediately by a massive explosion of displaced air that distracted even the bone serpent before them. As one, all three looked skyward to see the tumbling form change within a spherical barrier of energy. Teal armor appeared about it, leaving something eerily similar to the armor she knew Lisker possessed.

"Is that...?" The strange man, his transformation apparently complete, changed his direction so quickly that when his armored foot slammed into the bone serpent's protective outer cover the sound of it was as a thunderclap.

"Sho!" Salvador cried out in joy as the bone serpent reeled from the insanely hard impact. Sho rebounded from his assault, somersaulting twice before landing in a crouch.

"Stay behind me!" he exclaimed, his voice strangely distorted. The bone serpent shook its head, chips of armor flaking off of it, before striking. It's speed was well in excess of its size, yet Sho appeared to be quicker as he caught the upper and lower jaws in his right and left hands respectively.

It only moved him a few inches! Myrlha thought in stunned amazement. So this is the one who's helping the ThunderCats! I can see why they survived so long!

This thing's freakin' TOUGH! Sho struggled to hold the writhing creature at bay as he held its jaws apart. Bio-boosted power battled against mutated muscle as each tried to gain advantage over the other.

Bone plates on this thing're pretty thick, he thought as the sensor medals shifted about. If worse comes to worst, I have to break out the big guns. He glanced inside its gaping maw at the pink tissue that lined it and fired the head beam into the roof. Sho was rewarded with the bone serpent roaring and squealing in surprised pain and immediately relenting its assault.

From the way it's thrashing... Sho cut off that thought, leaping back to grab the two would-be victims and leaping upward with all his might just before the enormous growth of bone at the tip of its tail carved a trench where they had stood only a moment before.

"How in the...?" the woman asked once he set them down well away from the canyon's edge. "How did you do that?"

"That's kind of... a... hey, you're a ThunderCat, aren't you?"

"I'm Thunderian, but not one of the Nobility." Sho could practically hear the capital "N" she put at the front of that word. "My name's Myrlha." Sho looked at her, stricken. What looked like a rolled-up coat covered her modest breasts, scraps of fabric covering the junction of her toned legs. Her eyes caught his, her muted brown hair billowing in the breeze. Beneath the layers of dust and her ragged condition, he saw a beautiful woman.

Wow... Sho thought. She's wonderful! Tearing his eyes from her with considerable effort, he spotted the familiar form of Salvador next to her. His coat was missing, said article adorning Myrlha's torso, he realized.

"Salvador! What happened?"

"Dyme sacked our village and took many of us to work on the new Mutant stronghold. Myrlha and I escaped over a month ago. We've been trying to get to the Tower of Omens."

"And we almost ended up snake food," Myrlha added. "Thank you. For the rescue, I mean."

"You're... I don't believe this!" he shouted when the sensor medals snatched backward. Not wasting a moment, he wrapped his arms about the two of them and launched himself forward just before the bone serpent landed where they had been. "Does this thing give up?!"

"Bone serpents never stop chasing their prey," Salvador replied as Sho landed and turned about. "You can't just scare them off!" Sho studied the enormous reptile as it coiled again. Deciding that perhaps he could do what Salvador said couldn't be done, he activated the sonic buster.

The bone serpent thrashed about wildly as the bone plates atop its head splintered and cracked under the sonic assault, yet showed no signs of having its mind changed about the evening's meal. Sho relented, not wishing to waste any more power on a tactic that had been just proven ineffective. In an instant, the battered reptile coiled and launched itself directly at him. Sho charged forward as he extended the sonic sword on his right arm, ducking beneath the striking snake and feeling it pierce flesh up to the hilt. Its momentum coupled with his own served to carry the blade along the entirety of its length before the now-dead creature slid to a stop at the end of a trail of gore.

"Looks like this one's not gonna chase us anymore," Myrlha said with what seemed to be fear.

"It didn't leave me a lot of options," Sho said defensively.

"Hey, I'm not knocking you," she replied with a smile. "From what I've seen of Third Earth, the natural order on this planet is survival of the meanest."

"You two said you're headed to the Tower, right? How about I give you a lift?"

"Where's your vehicle?" Myrlha asked, looking about in confusion.

"Sho doesn't exactly need one," Salvador told her. "Sho, we'd greatly appreciate it."

"Sure. Grab on." Salvador's diminutive form sat in the crutch of his left arm with his right wrapped about Myrlha's waist. As she held onto him, Sho felt that he wouldn't mind if she held him that way in his human form...

STOP IT! he chided himself. You just met her, you can't think of her that way!

"Hold on tight, you two," he said before bending at the knees and leaping upward. As they sailed skyward, Sho activated the gravity controller and adjusted their course to the Tower of Omens. He supposed he could have just teleported them, but he didn't know the risks of bringing along more than one person.

Besides, he thought at the feel of Myrlha pressed against him, this isn't so bad.

"Either this is the longest jump in history," Myrlha said, "or we're flying somehow." Several wracking coughs burst from her mouth then. Sho gazed at her, seeing the aura of her seriously diminished.

"We're flying," Sho replied, concerned.

"How?!"

"The gravity controller at my waist," he said. "Just don't ask me how it works."

Gravity controller?! she thought, amazed as she stared at the innocuous metal orb he had mentioned. Just how powerful are you, anyway?

He felt so warm, she realized. Salvador had told her Sho was human and that the armor merged with him when summoned, yet he hadn't known much else about the Guyver. Pressed into his masculine form, the Guyver itself didn't feel like any armor plating she'd ever encountered. It felt... alive.

I wonder what you look like beneath this thing, she thought with a flush coloring her cheeks. She tore her thoughts away from him as she sudied the ground racing below her tired and aching feet. They'd made it. After a month of endless walking, foraging for food, avoiding human settlements due to what Salvador had told her of humans from beyond Darkside, and almost being killed by a bone serpent, they were being flown to the ThunderCats by one of their allies. The illness she'd been holding at bay seemed irrelevant at this point. Even if she'd died, so long as she could get the ThunderCats to rescue the others, it was worth each labored breath.

Hold on, everyone. Freedom's coming!

"I'm sorry I can't do anything more for the pain," he said as he applied the bandage just below her tan breasts. She remained silent as he worked, shivering in terror that each second may be her last. Oswald Lisker forced a calm expression on his face to hide his rage at what those four Mutants had the audacity to attempt in his absence.

He had returned to the sound of a female screaming in horror, and had located the source at once from above. He'd landed just behind four Mutant apes who had stood in a circle around a nude and frightened Maria. Her clothes had been scattered about in tattered shreds, leaving her no modesty other than her arms as they leered and grunted in anticipation.

Killing them had been an unparalleled pleasure.

"You can speak to me, you know," he said as he finished changing the bandage on her torso and proceeded to unwrap the one about her upper leg. "I know some of you speak my language."

"Please be gentle," she replied in a meek, subdued voice. "I won't stop you, just don't hurt me like they did."

"I'd never do to you what they did," he replied, recalling with a healthy dose of shame what he'd once considered doing to Cheetara before he could stop himself. "At least I was able to make them pay for it. I wish I could have gotten back sooner. I could have stopped them."

"You did." Maria winced slightly as Lisker applied the new bandage.

"Really?"

"They hadn't started yet." She paused, looking up at him in a mixture of fear, bewilderment, and something he couldn't quite identify. Maria swallowed audibly before speaking again. "Thank you for stopping them."

"Of course," he replied, greatly relieved that those damnable apes hadn't gotten about to raping her yet when he'd arrived. Poor little thing wouldn't have survived that, he thought. "None of you should be here. Not like this."

"We are," she said, resigned. "Why are you doing this for me?"

"Because..." Lisker stopped, unsure of what he should say. She was a slave - said fact which angered him to no end - and she looked at him as one of those with the whips.

How else do you see me, lying on my bed like this? he silently asked her.

"Never mind," he settled with, knowing it was inadequate. Getting up, Lisker moved to the other side of the bed so he could start on her other leg. "Nothing's broken, at least. It's a wonder how there aren't any kind of painkillers here."

"It's not bad," Maria said before a sharp gasp gave lie to her words. "Why did you kill them?"

"They deserved it for what they were doing to you."

"That still doesn't make it right." She flinched then, as if expecting a blow for being an uppity slave.

"If I hadn't, then they would have waited until I wasn't around again. No one deserves to be hurt like you almost were. That's how brutes like these Mutants work. Once I beat one of them down, they waited until I was gone to take it out on someone who couldn't fight back. I guess, in a way, I'm responsible for it."

"You're strange, Master Lisker."

"Just Lisker. I'm not your master. There, just a couple more and we're done for tonight."

"I'm still a slave," Maria said, her tone still resigned. "I don't have the power to change that."

"Even so," Lisker replied, "that doesn't make taking advantage of you right." I'm getting sucked into a damn moral debate, he relized with a rueful shake of his head. Morality wasn't something he'd devoted much thought to.

"Too bad the Mutants don't think that."

"Truth be told," he said, leaning close to her ear, "I don't believe they think much, period." Her lips twitched slightly before she could swallow the laughter.

"You're nicer than the others."

"I'm not nice," he replied. "I've done some pretty bad things in my life. Things I'm not too proud of right now."

"If you didn't have any goodness, would you be doing this?" Lisker was brought up short by that.

"I... I guess not..." he managed at length, her unbandaged right arm cradled in his hands. "Anyway, your English is excellent."

"Senor Salvador taught me," she replied. "He's travelled a lot."

"Has he now?" There was a certain irony in Maria's words she didn't even know existed. On his way back, he spotted the hiding forms of two people he knew to be missing from the site and had been presumed dead. He'd continued on, not bothering with them.

He continued bandaging Maria's battered form in silence. She was tall for one of those Wollos, and had she been human he would have said she was well built to boot. Finished, Lisker rose from the bed and inspected his handiwork.

She probably thinks I'm sizing her up like a piece of meat, he thought with a twinge of shame. Not as though I can help what they did to her dress.

"That oughtta do it," he said, turning to fetch his Armani jacket for her to wear. Three thousand dollar garment, and it was shot to hell. Lisker seriously doubted he'd find a menswear store on this Third Earth place. Gently, he helped her up from the bed and slide the coat over her downy covering of fur. "Sleep well, Maria." Her modesty restored, he eased her back onto the uncomfortable bed. Still, it was better than the unyeilding cots the others slept on.

"Lisker," she said, nervous now. "If you wish for me as a consort, you don't have to seduce me."

"I'm not seducing you," he replied.

"Please let me heal before you take me," she pleaded in a small voice.

"Maria," he said, becoming irritated, "I'm not going to force myself on you, end of story. I'm not that kind of a bastard." With that, he doused the lights in the bedchamber and went into the anteroom beyond.

Alone in the new darkness and sore all over, the Wollo Maria lay in the scent of Oswald Lisker which permeated the garment covering her. She had no clue what to think of the human, he was so unlike any other of his race she had ever encountered. He had killed those Mutants without a trace of mercy (and though she wouldn't admit it, she took a savage satisfaction at the sight) yet he was so tender when dressing her wounds. He looked at her nakedness not with lust or passion, merely acknowledging the fact of it as he treated her. His actions backed up his claims that he was not about to rape her.

Is he a good man or an evil one? Maria asked herself as she closed her eyes. He killed, and yet he's caring for me. He doesn't use his power to free us, yet he intimidates the Mutants into beating us less. How confusing! In fact, he hadn't even let his gaze linger over her sex when he'd had her legs apart while applying the bandages. How many men under any circumstances could have managed that?!

Even more confusing was that, when she had pleaded with him to let her heal first, it hadn't been out of submission. She actually wouldn't have minded. What was it about him? So much good and so much evil in one man.

How torn you must be, Oswald Lisker, Maria thought.

Stretched out on the bench in the center of the spartan main area, Lisker let his mind turn over the most recent events. Mumm-Ra had tried to double-cross him, and as angry as he was over that, Lisker had to admit that it had been a learning experience. Who knew the Guyver was capable of such a thing?! He certainly hadn't, and the knowledge bolstered his own confidence.

We Guyvers are as close to invincible as anyone can come, he realized with a satisfied smile. Regardless of whatever weapons the Mutant Army possessed, they couldn't kill him. They simply lacked the power.

Power...

He had the power to raze this loathsome operation to the ground single-handedly. Some slaves would die in the process, but there was a term for them. Acceptable losses.

Truly?

Lisker's smile inverted itself at that thought. Why not ensure that all of them escaped? Because it was impossible, that was why. Or was it? Lisker thought back to the return trip and the sight of two slaves, one of them having been named by Maria just moments ago, attempting to hide from him.

They're trying to get to those ThunderCat people, he reasoned. And, should they succeed, Those cat people would come running especially once they learned others of their kind were here. And, he knew, they'd come with fangs bared and weapons primed.

They'll bring reinforcements, he thought. They'll bring the kid.

He thought about Sho Fukamachi, and somehow Maria's words about the goodness in him came to the fore. The Guyver had given him a second lease on life, and the world was far different than the one he had known. Could he start over? Could he have a new life on Third Earth? The image of Sho's lunging punch which had ended his life the first time came back to him unbidden.

If that's gonna happen, Lisker thought, that little loose end has to be tied up first. And, before that, this little setup had to be destroyed...

It came to him, then, how exactly he could ensure that all the enslaved people in this shitpit could escape with their lives. He had to play it exactly right, but maneuvers like this were of little challenge to him.

Besides, he owed Mumm-Ra for betraying him.

Lion-O knew that sometimes, people just needed to be alone. After the incident with Tashii and the Doomgaze, he had found himself returning to those strange stones so he could think about Thundera in solitude. He had no idea how much - if any - of what the Guyver had done he remembered, but he had to have known that something happened. It had to be a terrible shock to him. As such, Lion-O hadn't had anyone depart to search for him. Even if he had, Sho would have been nearly impossible to find given how mobile he was with the Guyver. He did know that Sho had been to the ruins of the Treetop Kingdom, via a Warrior Maiden survivor who had called in on returning to their camp and wished to know if there were any threats in the area.

People are coming to see him as a warrior, he thought. Who could blame them? Even the ThunderCats thought of him that way, as well as a friend.

"I have a contact," Lynx-O said as his fingers flew over the braille board. "Vector three-nine-zero, speed one-twenty miles per hour."

"Aerial?" Lion-O asked.

"Correct. It is headed directly for us. I have identified it as Sho."

"Good." He was hoping Sho wouldn't make a night of it. If he'd been gone too long, they'd have had to search for him. The one thing no one could afford to deal with was Sho in an unbalanced state of mind. Lion-O hated having to think that, but there was no getting around the power he possessed.

"I am picking up two additional life-forms alongside him," Lynx-O said, jarring him from his train of thought.

"He really should ask before inviting friends over," WilyKit joked from his left.

"Any read on them?" Lion-O asked, ignoring her fresh remark.

"Unclear... I have it. One is a Wollo. The other... Stars above!"

"What?"

"The other is Thunderian!" Shocked silence reigned for a moment at the elder's statement.

"So, did he capture Grune and decide to give a Wollo a lift at the same time?"

"Bro, don't make me smack you..."

"I have confirmed that the Thunderian reading is not Grune. In fact, it is female."

"Cheetara, Pumyra, this is Lion-O. Check in, please."

"Cheetara here. I'm in SkyTomb helping Panthro and Tygra catalog the equipment."

"Pumyra responding. I'm treating a Tuska for a sprained wrist."

"You know where *I* am," WilyKit added.

"When that kid goes wandering off, he doesn't play around," Lion-O said. "ThunderCats, assemble before the Tower entrance. Sho's on his way back, and he's got some company for us."

"Panthro here," his basso voice immediately replied. "Something chasing him?"

"It seems," Lynx-O said, "that he has found another survivor of Thundera."

"We're on our way!"

"Wonder what kind of explanation he's got for this?!" WilyKat asked.

"I'll bet it's a real doozy!" his sister added.

"And I can't wait to heart it," Lion-O finished as the four ThunderCats made their hurried way outside.

"What in God's Name is SkyTomb doing here?" Salvador practically shrieked at the sight of the two arcologies.

"That may be here, but I'm sure the Lunattaks aren't." This was it, he thought as he gently set down. They were gathered, those that were left, staring in open-mouthed shock. Cheetara. Pumyra. Panthro. Tygra. Snarfer and Snarf. No sign of Lion-O, WilyKat, WilyKit, or Lynx-O. He released Salvador and Myrlha and cursed himself for allowing thoughts of a romantic nature to enter his head. After what he'd done, she would spit on him. And he would not run.

"Sho," Panthro began.

"I won't run away, Panthro, and I'll accept whatever punishment you have for me. I'll be on top of the Tower when you're ready." With that, Sho took off like a rocket to settle gently on the roof just before the Cat's Eye.

"What in Jaga's name was *that* about?" Tygra asked, utterly puzzled.

"My name is Myrlha, Honored ThunderCats, of the Cougar Clan," the woman said, an arm across her barely covered chest and a slight bow. "Salvador and I have escaped the Mutant Army's slave pens and journeyed here to find you."

"You don't know how glad we are to see you," Lion-O said as he led the other ThunderCats into the rapidly falling night.

"M'lord Lion-O," Myrlha said, repeating the salute. "We have information of the greatest urgency!"

"The location of the Mutant Army," Panthro said. "Finally!"

"More than that," Myrlha said, flushed with excitement. "Salvador's people are there as well, and there are powerful enemies gathering!"

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss this in the morning," Lion-O said. "You two are exhausted. Pumyra will examine you and, once you have some hot food and a night's rest..."

"Forgive my impertinence, Excellency," Myrlha said, cutting him off. "But the Wollos and Brute Men are not the only ones. Highness, there are other survivors there enslaved as well."

"More of our countrymen?!" Tygra gasped, eyes wide.

"Yes... *COUGH* I... Ohhh..." Myrlha, unable to keep on her feet any longer, lost consciousness.

"Pumyra, get her in the infirmary!"

"On it!" she exclaimed, taking a shoulder with Bengali hoisting the other. The two charged into the Tower, Pumyra already compiling a list of what she might need.

"First," Salvador said, "My daughter, Rosa, is she here? She was about to give birth when..."

"She's not here," Cheetara replied, kneeling down in front of him. "She's with the Warrior Maidens. A bolkin found her wandering the forest, and he brought her there."

"She is safe?!"

"Rosa is healthy and whole," Cheetara said with a smile. "As is your grandson." Salvador began to quiver at the news, then fiercely embraced Cheetara as tears of joy ran down into his snowy beard.

"Thank God," he breathed as she held him. "Thank God!"

"Lion-O," Panthro said as he walked over to the Lord of the ThunderCats. "Sho's back, and something's wrong with him."

"What is it?"

"He was saying something about accepting punishment. For the life of me... Wait, I think I know what this is all about."

"Don't keep me in suspense, then."

"When he showed up here, he didn't see you, the kittens, or Lynx-O," Panthro explained. "He probably thinks Guyver killed you yesterday."

"Whoa..." Kit, who had been nearby said. "I'll bet that's been rough on him!"

"I'd better set this straight. Where is he?"

"He's on the roof. I'd been wondering when he'd use the local brooding spot."

"I'll take care of it, then."

"I'll come with you."

Sho did not even notice the stars as they gleamed in the celestial heights, lost as he was in despair.

Lion-O.

Lynx-O.

WilyKit.

WilyKat.

All dead.

Dead? Wait a second, here...

Sho searched the memory of what he'd seen on arriving at the Tower compared with what he knew had happened before that battle. Something did not add up, but what? Sho searched his memory, addled as it was, in search of the truth,

Okay. I know something's not right about this...

Reconstruct the scene, he commanded himself. WilyKit had been with the others. So had Lynx-O and Lion-O. He knew there had been a forcefield between them and him. Even so...

Another detail made itself known. He had seen Pumyra on the ground when he arrived, yet she had been bound and gagged beside WilyKat in the desert. Why would it kill him and leave her untouched? The more he thought about it all, the less sense it all made.

"I get it," he said, leaning back against the Cat's Eye. "I just spent today making an ass of myself."

"Only the past ten minutes," the familiar voice of Lion-O said from his left. Sho looked over at him with a great wash of relief. "You actually thought Guyver had killed me?"

"I didn't know who it killed," Sho replied as Panthro came into view behind Lion-O. "I just... I couldn't face the probability when I woke up. I know it was cowardly..."

"It would've been if you'd been right," Panthro said. "We had it on pretty good authority not to go near the Guyver in the state it was in."

"Even so, I can't stay here."

"What makes you say that?"

"Um, hello? The fact that, without me, this thing kills whatever catches its eye? What if this happens again?"

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," Panthro replied. "You're strong enough to do that."

"If I was..."

"Don't even start, Sho," Panthro said sharply. "I know you're not this weak. Remember when Lisker trampled you?"

"Yeah..."

"You could've sulked over it, or hid yourself away like a coward. What did you do instead?"

"I came to you."

"That's right. You had some kind of fire in your eyes when you asked me to train you. Not many would've had the stones to ask me to do that."

"On Thundera," Lion-O explained, "he was called 'Panthro the Deadly' for a pretty good reason."

"And Lion-O knows that reason better than most," Panthro continued. "We both know what the real reason for you coming to me was. I want you to say it. Right now."

"It was Cheetara," Sho replied, knowing that he was being beaten with reason. Just wait until I tell you a little more about me, he thought. "What Lisker wanted to do to her."

"You swore to me you'd make sure that never happened. Now, you want to abandon her to..."

"I won't leave her to him!" he shouted, and winced when they tensed up. He was, after all, still in the armor. "I... I just can't bear the thought..."

"What is it?" Lion-O asked. "I'm thinking there's more to this."

"I can only tell this story once," Sho replied at length. "If I do it now, I can't tell it to the others. I think this is something everyone should know."

"If that's what you want," Lion-O said. "Then present it at council tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Lion-O." With that, Sho released the Guyver and watched as it faded into whatever dimension it called home while waiting for his summon. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"Just get some sleep, kid," Panthro said gently. "We can hash the rest out in the morning."

Lion-O entered the infirmary and glanced at the two slumbering shapes in the dimmed lighting. One, the Thunderian Myrlha, had sundry tubes stuck into her arms with an oxygen mask over her face.

"What in the..."

"I had no choice," Pumyra said from her desk. Lion-O looked at her as she rose from the chair with a data pad in her hand. "She's a sick girl, Lion-O, but I can get her better. Do me a favor and remind me to thank Sho for that."

"Sure... What's going on here? Start from the top, please."

"Salvador," she began, "as far as Wollos go, is in great shape for the most part. Myrlha, however, is a different story."

"Tell me." he said simply.

"Someone's put her through the wringer," Pumyra spat. "She's at least ten pounds underweight for a woman of her age and lineage. Also, her blood chemistry's completely out of balance."

"I take it this gets worse," he said, reigning in his anger.

"Much worse," Pumyra returned with a shake of her head. "She's undernourished, and there's evidence of broken ribs that haven't properly healed. But, that's not the worst part." With that, Pumyra handed Lion-O a small medical data padd which displayed Myrlha's alarming vitals. "By the time they reached Darkside, she was running on pure adrenaline and about a gallon of willpower. My tests show that she's developing pneumonia in her right lung. As weak as her immune system is, it would have killed her inside three days, maximum."

"Damn..."

"In short," Pumyra said around a weary sigh, "giant snake nonwithstanding, if Sho hadn't found them when he did, Myrlha would never have made it out of Darkside."

"I take it she won't be able to deliver her information tomorrow."

"In about a week, maybe," Pumyra replied. "Lion-O, we're not dealing with a healthy Thunderian here. The pneumonia itself wouldn't be a problem if not for the underlying conditions she's already suffering from. All this with pneumonia on top, it's a wonder she's lived this long." Pumyra took a deep breath. "I've started her on an aggressive treatment regimen, but with everything else that she's suffering from, recovery will take some time."

"Time our countrymen might not have."

"She might be able to tell you tomorrow," Pumyra said. "I'd even lay good odds on it. But, leaving her bed? She'll need at least a week, likely more."

"I see," Lion-O replied. "Pumyra, I don't think we can wait very long..."

"I know, but there's no choice," she replied. "If we push her too hard too soon, we'll end up killing her. I've never lost a patient before, and I won't allow her to be the

first!"

"She won't be," Lion-O replied with a placating gesture. "I'll question her personally, with you present. You'll have control, if you think we need to stop, then I'll stop. But, remember..."

"I know," Pumyra replied, "nearly two hundred of our countrymen are waiting for us. We have to move quickly."

"Will Myrlha need you to keep watch all night?"

"Tygra will take over at three AM," she replied. "I only have two hours to go."

"Very well. I'll want a full report in the morning."

"Count on it."

Lion-O, exhausted, collapsed on the bed before he noticed Cheetara's slumbering form on the other half.

"Can't sleep either?" Her voice startled him yet again that night.

"I just got Pumyra's report," he said at length as his eyes adjusted to the gloom through which he saw her. Cheetara was nude, propped up on one arm and gazing at him. The blankets of the bed were pooled about her waist, barely hiding her sex from him. Lion-O's nostrils flared at the scent of her, so ready and waiting.

"She'll be okay?"

"Pumyra says she'll be fine in time." Lion-O breathed deep her musk, the scent driving him wild. "Oh, you smell wonderful..."

"Thank you," she said as they embraced. "Today's been a strange one. I could almost think Sho's picked up a habit for saving Thunderian lives." She felt his claws against her back and shivered at the sensation.

"If so," Lion-O said before nuzzling her throat, "I won't try to break him of it."

"Perish the thought." Cheetara fully engaged his lips for a moment before backing off. "You know that, whatever comes, I love you."

"Of course I do."

"What do you feel for me, then?"

"Cheetara, where do I begin?" Lion-O asked. "You've always been there for me. A mentor. A friend. And, best of all, a lover. I can't put what I feel about you into words. I... I love you just doesn't do it, but it's all I have..." Cheetara's kiss silenced him as her hands removed his tunic.

"It'll do nicely," she said as she embraced him. "It's a little late for anything exciting, though."

She embraced him in the darkness, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart as it lulled her into slumber. There, in the crutch of his powerful arms, all the pain in her history seemed distant. Life as a ThunderCat was always a risk, with each day bringing new dangers and more inventive ways of losing one's life. Moments of peace such as this became all the more precious for it. Just before sleep claimed her, Cheetara briefly wondered if Cougrix would be happy for her, there in the arms of another man.

There was no if about it. She knew he would be.

In the next episode:

Sho tells the ThunderCats about the horror of the Guyver when operating without him. Salvador relates his journey with Myrlha across the wild country of Third Earth and the condition of their enslaved countrymen. Myrlha's recovery proceeds, and plans begin to formulate for a rescue assault. Meanwhile, Oswald Lisker begins to implement a plan to attain his own goals, of which the Wollo Maria is integral. For her part, Maria must deal with the very real feelings for Lisker growing inside.

The final battle between the forces of good and evil races closer, with the fate of everything hanging in the balance, in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	22. Strange Feelings

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Twnety-Two

The water is more clear than it should be, yet that does not bother him as he sits in the cool and fragrant grasses with the fishing rod in his hands. He has seen this lake a thousand times, both with his eyes and in his dreams, and a certain calm fills him.

(I've got a lot of memories tied up in this place,) he says, unsurprised that his lips haven't moved.

(I know you do.) He does not need to look as the other sits down beside him, merely trusting his feelings to identify the newcomer.

(I'm sorry.)

(For what? You remembered your promise in time.)

(It was almost too late.)

(Stop it.) He dares not look at the face of the one beside him as a fish breaks the calm surface of Lake Narisawa before him. (You've spent two thousand years beating yourself up over that. Isn't that enough?!)

(I still...)

(You did nothing.) He feels the line catch and he draws it toward himself just before the fish gets away. He falls on his back, unsurprised to see the control room of the Tower of Omens. He rises to his feet and sees the same man at Lynx-O's station at the braille board. (There was nothing you could do.) He barely notes the change in perception as the inner sanctum of the Tower of Omens fully comes into view.

(I am so proud of you,) the voice says as the image fades. (Keep up the good fight...)

"I will," Sho said as he rose into the light of day The sun was barely creeping above the horizon as he climbed from beneath the sheets of what he was now coming to call his bed and the cool air tingled against the bare skin of his chest. He knew what he had to tell the ThunderCats this day, and for once was unafraid. Even amongst the friends he'd had on Second Earth, he had never met anyone so fissioned against darkness than them. He simply hadn't thought it possible at the time. Now, however, he knew better.

I'm here for a reason, Sho thought as he doffed the pajama bottoms and strode to the simple wardrobe. He selected one of the simple blue jumpsuits they'd had to spare and slid the tight fabric over his skin. I met the ThunderCats for a reason, his mind continued as he finished dressing and took a comb to his hair. I don't know what that reason is, but I know I'll be called to fight again.

It was funny, in a way. Before the Guyver bonded with him, before Kronos fucked up his life, and then the world, Sho Fukamachi had never been a fighter. He'd always gone out of his way to avoid confrontation. Now, two thousand years and another world later, he was doing battle again.

So many lives ended, he thought as he went through the morning ablutions, and some saved, too. Cheetara, for one. WilyKit and WilyKat. Pumyra. Lion-O. Salvador and that Myrlha woman. The Berbils who survived the first battle. By choosing to wage war, did that mean the Mutants and other enemies he'd killed invited their own deaths? It was a question that, even here and now, Sho had no real answer for.

I have to tell them, he thought as he finished his preparations and made for the exit. For all they've done for me, they deserve to know. Truth is one of the tenets of the Code and I did tell Cheetara I wanted to uphold it.

"Salvador should awaken soon," Pumyra said, beginning her report to the Council that morning. "I only gave him a mild sedative. Whatever information he has on the Mutant Army will have to suffice until Myrlha is able to answer questions herself."

"Is she gonna be okay?" WilyKit asked from her spot near the still-silent Sho.

"I think so," Pumyra replied. "The problem is that her body's natural defenses have been severely weakened by the treatment she, and I'll wager everyone else there, suffered at the Mutants' hands. Treating the underlying causes on top of pneumonia will require aggressive measures. So far, she's responding well." She elected not to go into an account of the injuries Myrlha had evidence of. Several marks, all faded to discolored stripes along her back and legs, were proof of savage beatings administered without pattern or design. They were evidence of mere barbarity and not planned torture, further supported by a lack of signs indicating sexual torment. That, in and of itself, was a small miracle.

"Very well," Tygra said. "We'll have Snarf prepare a meal for Salvador when he awakens."

"I've already taken the liberty," Lion-O put forth. "He'll have it there the moment Salvador wakes up."

"In that case," Tygra replied, "Lion-O has brought it to my attention that Sho has something he feels we should all hear."

"Thank you," Sho said after nervously clearing his throat. "I... I'm not good at talking to groups. What happened the other day was something I never could have imagined the Guyver capable of."

"Same here," WilyKat said, "but I'm real glad it did." Sho had the resolve not to flinch.

"When I woke up, I ran off because I couldn't face the thought that it had killed any of you. I... I ran away."

"As you can see," Lynx-O said, "We are all still here. And in one piece. You needn't have run."

"Sho," Cheetara began, "you're talking as if this has happened before."

"It has." He took as deep a breath as he possibly could before continuing. "I'm none too clear on what happened before or what came later, but what I remembered yesterday morning is crystal clear.

"Kronos, the organization which was turning humans into Zoanoids, had kidnapped my father and two of my friends in an effort to force me to surrender to them. A man named Murakami helped me track them to their main research facility in Japan, Mount Minakami."

"It was on a mountain?"

"Actually, it was *in* the mountain, Bengali. Together with Guyver Three, I managed to infiltrate Relics Point and rescue them. Before we could all escape, though, we met the Zoanoid Elite Five."

"Elite Five?" Pumyra asked, puzzled.

"They were specially designed, also called Hyper Zoanoids. We barely managed to get past them. Guyver three had Mizuki and Tetsuro, I had my father. Once we got outside, one of the Elites managed to wound Guyver Three, and another recaptured my father. Another was able to send a huge electric jolt into the control medal, and my armor deactivated. Guyver Three was able to get us all to safety, that is except Dad.

"When I woke up, the only thought in my head was getting back into Relics Point, finding my dad, and getting him the hell out of there. Everyone kept telling me to wait, that we needed a plan, but I was so impatient. That night, I snuck out of the safehouse we were hiding in and made my way back. Guyver Three met me on the way, and we both went in for my dad." Sho paused for a moment and gathered his resolve.

"Like before, we'd stolen some Kronos uniforms and helmets. We didn't encounter any security on the way through Relics Point, but I didn't notice that. I was too worried about Dad. We got to him, and only then did the alarm go off."

"A trap," Tygra said, nodding.

"Oh, yeah, it was. But that wasn't it. While I blasted my way out of Relics Point, Guyver Three kept the Elite Five distracted. I ran through the forest around Mount Minakami, thanking every diety I could think of that my dad was safe. I didn't stop to think about how easy it'd been to get in.

"Dr. Halmical Valkus was a Zoalord, one of the twelve in command of Kronos. I told Panthro a little about him in the thundrillium mine."

"You said they controlled Zoanoids..." Panthro's eyes widened as the connection was made and shocked stares locked onto Sho as it spread.

"Yeah. Valkus turned my father into a Zoanoid."

"Aw, man!" WilyKit exclaimed. "That's terrible!"

"Here I thought only Mumm-Ra could stoop so low," Lion-O snarled.

"This Zoanoid," Bengali said, "was it like the thing Ma-Mutt turned himself into?"

"Very close." Sho felt the bitter tears building as the pain inside his heart magnified. "Enzyme Mark Two. I don't recall anything about a Mark One, but it couldn't have been as nasty as the second."

"And that Valkus was pulling his strings," Panthro said darkly.

"More than that," Sho replied. "As Zoalords went, Valkus was extremely powerful, second only to the leader of Kronos, Alkanphel himself. I... I tried to snap him out of it. I kept screaming for him to wake up, to stop what Valkus was making him do..." Sho's chest began to hitch as the critical moment neared. "And he kept hitting me, damaging the Guyver... I couldn't fight, not him! He was my dad for God's sake! Then... Then he ripped off a chunk of my head, a lot like what Ma-Mutt did." Sho kept silent for a moment and let the tears fall as his body trembled with rage and horror.

"Sho," Cheetara said soothingly, "you don't have to finish."

"Yes, I do. When I came to... Oh, God... The forest was scorched by the megasmasher... and... All that was left of Enzyme Two... My own damn FATHER!... All that was left was his arm!" The dam broken, Sho slammed his fists onto the table in the dining chamber and wept openly. A pair of arms encircled his heaving shoulders, WilyKit's voice telling him it would be okay. He would be okay. If only he could believe that.

"Sho, I had no idea," WilyKit also said.

"I wasn't in control," he said once he found his voice and his red-rimmed eyes found those of the ThunderCats, "but that doesn't change the fact that my dad's blood is on my hands."

"Wrong," Panthro replied. "It was on Valkus' hands. On Kronos' hands. They were the monsters, not you."

"Is there more to this story?" Tygra asked, his voice somewhat hollow.

"I only remember a little more. Somehow, I lost the power to summon the Guyver afterward. I had to face the fact that my father had been killed by my hands." A flash in his mind, a naked man with a wide scar down one side of his face, holding a terrified Mizuki by the wrists before him like a shield, then it was gone. "Truth be told, I lost it again yesterday. If I hadn't managed to remember, I wouldn't have been able to save Salvador and Myrlha."

"The important thing," Lynx-O said, "is that you did."

"Sho? Sho, look at me," Pumyra said. Once he did, "You did more than save them from a bone serpent. Myrlha would never have made it through Darkside, as bad a shape as she's in."

"Really...?"

"That's two more people who are alive because of you," Lion-O said warmly. "Yes, the Guyver can do horrible things when you're not in control, but you'll just have to be strong enough not to let it happen again."

"That armor doesn't define you," Bengali added. "I came to realize that. Besides, if it does ever happen again, we know not to go near the Guyver. It won't attack what it doesn't think is a threat."

"It won't," Sho replied, adamant. "I'll see to it." He paused for a moment, his resolve hardening into something akin to the purest diamond. "I didn't start this fight, I know that now, but I'm going to finish it."

"We're going to," Lion-O corrected. "All of us are in this together. Don't forget that."

"I'll never forget that," Sho replied, smiling inwardly. "Never."

"They'll find this place sooner or later." Maria lay silently on the bed, taking in Lisker's words from the other side of the open doorway. "If I were you, Grune, I'd start making preparations now."

"As far from their little tower as we are?" Chilla's voice asked, dripping with derision. "I don't see how the ThunderCats will find this place before construction is finished."

"The mathematical equation for an assumption is: Ass = U + Me. Mumm-Ra assumed his little toy could kill the Guyver, and look what happened."

What has happened? Maria thought as she shifted slightly. Why is Lisker talking about the ThunderCats raiding this place? She knew that Salvador and one of the Thunderians had managed to escape, but had they reached the Tower of Omens?

"Besides, aren't a few slaves missing?"

"Died in the catacombs," Grune's gruff voice replied, yet a note of uncertainty had crept into his tone.

"What about those unaccounted for? It's not inconceivable that a few managed to get out. From what I've seen of these Mutants, security had to have been sub-par before you took control."

"You're an observant one, Lisker."

"Then, what do you suggest?"

"Simple, Chilla. Those cat people will have their eyes on rescuing their own..."

"Not to mention the rest."

"As you say, Grune. Either way, they won't be dumb enough to attack without learning all they can about this place. The slave pens will be their main target."

"Then we stow the slaves somewhere else," Chilla's voice said. "Got any ideas about that?"

"Right here," Lisker's voice said in reply. "These ships are far enough away that they won't suspect a thing. First, though, we have to find anything a slave could possibly use to escape. I'd bet money that, if we find it, the ThunderCats will try to use it to sneak in."

"Why are you so certain they'll be coming here?"

Yes, Maria thought, why?

"I told you about my telepathic link with the kid. Yesterday, he found two slaves that had escaped in some place called Darkside. A cat woman and one of those Wollos."

Maria's heart leapt before the implications made it plummet into her stomach. Salvador and that woman made it, but now Grune knew about it. Any attack the ThunderCats would launch would be expected! With all these Mutants, it wouldn't matter what weapons the Thunderians had!

"Why didn't you say so?!" Grune's panicked voice roared.

"I simply didn't want to upset you. Face facts, those cats are gonna be here. A few days, couple of weeks, tops."

"Those Thunderians have been slaves of the Mutants for a while, now," Chilla's voice added. "If one got to the ThunderCats, she's gonna have detailed knowledge of the weapons we have!"

Maria was helpless to do anything but listen as Grune and Chilla batted about various bits of knowledge that Myrlha might possess. Finally, Grune spoke up.

"We don't have much time. I'll suspend construction and keep the slaves penned."

"I'll have the Mutants set up early-warning posts," Lisker's voice added. "I suggest letting them raid the construction site before closing our forces around them. And, as for the slaves?"

"We'll stash them here," Grune's voice replied offhandedly.

"What about the Wollo you're keeping here?"

"I managed to find a sedative in what passes for medical supplies on this ship. She's sleeping like a rock." Within moments of that statement, Maria heard the entrance to Lisker's quarters slide open then shut when Grune and Chilla's footfalls passed through. Next came the chime of Lisker engaging the locking mechanism before walking into the bedchamber.

"I see you're feeling a little better," Lisker said with as much of a grin as he could manage. He knew she'd heard everything, just as he wanted her to. Her reaction was exactly as he had expected as he sat on the bed and reached beneath for fresh bandages.

"Don't touch me, you bastard!" she shrieked, sliding away from him despite the pain from her recent beating.

"Maria, listen to me," Lisker said calmly, following the shorter Wollo and gently seizing her right leg with his hand. "I know you overheard everything, I needed you to. I have a plan, but I need your help."

"Go to hell, Lisker," she snarled, eyes blazing. "I won't help you put the ThunderCats in chains like we Wollos are!"

"Damnit, Maria, listen to me!" Lisker hissed. He lunged forward, placing his hands on each side of her downy face and stared into her eyes with as much forceful will as he could muster. "I need you. To help me. Free everyone." With those clipped sentences, Maria's face took on a look of confusion mingled with the anger she had lashed at him with.

"What?" she managed after a protracted silence.

"I'm going to remove my hands," Lisker said. "Just please listen to me." As promised, he released Maria's head and gently helped her into a sitting position. He lightly cupped her chin and raised her face to his as though he meant to kiss her. "Listen to me very carefully. The ThunderCats are going to come soon. I told Grune that to get him and Chilla to trust me enough to make my plan possible."

"Your plan...?" she replied at length.

"If I can get all the slaves on this ship," Lisker explained, "then getting all of you clear will be far easier. I'm betting some of the Thunderians can pilot this crate. If not, then at least everyone will be out of the way of the fighting."

"But what about the Mutants? Can..."

"Maria, leave all that to me."

"But..." Lisker had no clue what compelled him to do it, leaning down and silencing Maria with a soft kiss. He felt her stiffen then, much to his surprise, relax into a fairly awkward embrace as her arms gingerly traced up his own. Lisker broke the kiss before things could get any farther, utterly flabbergasted at what had just happened, and at how she had responded.

Even moreso, however, at his own reaction to it.

Maria's gaze locked onto his own, and Lisker saw no sign of resignation or any trace of submission. Confusion, shock... and what he tried to tell himself couldn't possibly be desire. No way.

"I'm sorry..."

"Do not be," Maria replied with a hand on his arm. "I..." Lisker cut her off as he went into detail about his plan. She listened intently, wide-eyed at what he proposed, and began to feel a trace of shame at having doubted him. If this worked, and she could find nothing to indicate it would not, then freedom for her fellow Wollos, those Brute Men, and the Thunderians was truly close at hand! Lisker then turned to look at her again, and the intensity in his blue eyes nearly hit her like a physical blow.

"Wh... What is to be my role in this?" she asked in a shaky voice. Lisker explained to her what he so desperately needed her for, and Maria could not stop her jaw from hanging open.

"You can do it," he said, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "I know you're strong enough for this. Maria," he began, bringing his face closer. She found herself wishing he wouldn't stop until their lips met again. "I can't do this without you. For your people, for all the others, for yourself, I need you to do this."

"I will," she replied, taking courage from his touch and his words. And his presence. "I was wrong to doubt you, Oswald. You truly are a good man."

"Not so much as you think," he said, slightly crestfallen. "Come on, let's get those bandages changed."

"The pain is not bad," she said as she undid the buttons on the jacket which fit her so loosely. With so much extra material, she realized, with the proper tools she could refit it into a rather attractive dress, albiet a very short one compared to what Wollo women traditionally wore.

"Dull ache?" he asked as she slid her arms free of the sleeves and lay back.

"Yes." She kept her words simple to keep her breath calm. As he worked steadily at removing the bandages, he showed no sign of admiring her body, as though he had completely shifted... no, she saw with a hidden smile when his eyes lingered on her breasts just a second too long. Like the rest of her anatomy, Maria's bust was larger than the average Wollo woman and she took some satisfaction that it had gotten his attention.

"You're coming along faster than I thought," Lisker said with a trace of pride as he removed more of the bandages. "At this point, you don't need another dressing." His face darkened slightly at that. "Grune might want to put you back with the others, though..."

"Tell him you wish for me to be yours," Maria offered and blushed slightly at the thought of what she'd just said. "Grune seems to think that anyway."

"I'll have to," Lisker replied, his visage brightening. "Don't worry, Maria, I won't force you to..."

"You wouldn't have to...!" Aghast, she slapped a hand across her mouth. Lisker stared at her for a long moment, his face unreadable before a small grin broke the mask. From there, he merely returned to unbandaging her limbs and discarded the strips of gauze.

"Need to releive yourself?" he asked as he took the empty water glass from the bedstand.

"No." Lisker left for the bathroom and she heard the sink begin to run. Her mother had always told her that when she met the right one, she'd know it. Thinking about Lisker's kindness to her, and his promise to help free her and the others, Maria knew. She'd found him. She had never expected her other to be a human, however, and love between humankind and her own folk was so rare as to be unheard of.

Unheard of, she thought when Lisker returned and placed the water on the bedstand, but not impossible.

"Why haven't you dressed?" he asked mildly. She beckoned him closer and, when he did so, she carressed his face. The words jumbled in her throat, heart thundering with anxiety and the skin beneath her downy coat flushing with heat. What she truly wanted to say she could only manage in six unsteady words.

"You can, if you want to."

"I'd only hurt you."

"You could never hurt me. I know we're... different... but that doesn't mean we can't..."

"I have a lot to do. The ThunderCats aren't going to waste any time." With that, he leaned in and kissed her once more. This time, the union of their lips went deeper and they parted with greater reluctance. "I'll see you free, Maria. I promise."

"I'll never be free. I shall always be yours."

"Are you sure?" Liskers fingers trailed down her face, the side of her throat, and broke contact maddeningly close to her exposed breasts. "I don't know if we can..."

"We can. Others have." Not always willingly, she didn't add. "I love you, Oswald."

"Just call me Lisker," he replied with a chaste kiss on her forehead. "I've never liked Oswald."

"Lisker, then." Lisker reached into a pocket and produced three dull metal objects.

"Keep these safe." Lisker rose to leave.

"I meant it," Maria said just before he reached the open doorway. "No matter what, Lisker, I am yours."

"You're not property," he replied without turning. "You tell me you love me, and I believe you, but you belong to no one but yourself."

"Do you... love me?" Lisker remained silent for agonizing moments before:

"I never would have thought it possible, but... Yes." With that, Lisker disappeared and the door slid shut to leave Maria alone with a great swelling of joy blooming in her chest and a wide smile on her lips.

He would never live among us, she thought as she eased herself into a more comfortable position. She realized that would be fine. Wherever Lisker went, she would follow. Maria noticed a sensation of heat that grew in her abdomen which she had felt only twice in her twenty years, yet had never acted on. At least, with another, she thought with a grin.

Tonight would be different, she vowed. Oh, yes.

Lisker collapsed on the stiff bench in the spacious yet spartan quarters he had commandeered and ran a hand down his face with a frustrated groan. He had thought the first phase would be the most difficult, not the second! Winning Maria to his side had gone nowhere near as planned.

He'd known that using the fate of the other Wollos would have been necessary to bolster her courage. Lisker had even determined that the possibility of posing as someone who could be falling in love with her might be necessary.

Why the hell did I kiss her? he asked himself. He had no clue. He hadn't been thinking when he pressed his lips to hers, and hadn't expected her to respond to it so quickly. Or favorably.

"She's got it bad for me..." he muttered and, strangely, he felt no frustration at that. He felt... rather good.

She's not even human! he raged at himself. Some dissident part of his mind pointed out that she didn't much mind him not being a Wollo. Then there was his reaction. It had taken all of his willpower to keep from sprouting wood when their lips met. And that second kiss! He had nearly pressed on, and had restrained himself from carressing her willing form with much difficulty.

(You truly are a good man.)

Most disquieting of all, beyond her declaration of love for him, that she belonged to him, even past the strange physical desire... When he'd answered her with a 'yes', he had not been lying.

How had it happened? When had this Wollo woman found her way into the heart which many human women hadn't? What the hell did she have that the typical stacked blonde lacked?

How about a pure heart? that dissonate voice asked. Hey, while we're at it, try genuine emotions! Throw in real love that's got nothing to do with your Armani suits, sharp Mercedes, pockets deeper than...

"Grrrrrghh..." She was so small, he thought. He'd had women who were on the small side, and Maria seemed a little tall given what he'd seen of Wollos. She'd told him that humans and Wollos had been together before...

"Enough of this shit," he growled before rising. He had much to do, like he'd told her. He'd been prepared to string her along and leave her behind once the dust settled. But, now...

(You truly are a good man.)

Lisker couldn't help but smile at the irony. If Maria kept it up, she might turn him into the kind of man she thought he was.

What Oswald Lisker did not realize was that she was well on her way to doing just that.

Salvador, having finished his recounting of the conditions of the gathered slaves at the site of Fortress Plun-Darr, found himself suddenly grateful that he wasn't of the Mutant persuasion.

"Bastards," Panthro spat in disgusted rage.

"Curses won't get us anywhere," Tygra said. "Salvador, where is this Fortress Plun-Darr?"

"Far to the northeast, well beyond Darkside. Myrlha and I journeyed for over a month to get here."

"And what about troop deployment?" Turmagar asked.

"I was not there for long. When we left, guard patrols had not been established." "They probably think being so far away means they don't need guards," WilyKat said.

"Since when do Mutants *not* guard something?" Kat looked abashed at Panthro's rebuke. "Northeast, huh?"

"Yes, they are building their new stronghold on the ruins of some structure. I cannot fathom what it was for, yet I saw a word on a metal plate in the catacombs. It made no sense to me or Myrlha."

"What was it?" Lion-O asked.

"Fenway. Does it mean anything to any of you?"

"Fenway?" As one, every pair of eyes present swivelled and locked onto the human.

"Is it familiar to you?" Tygra asked him.

"Yeah. It's... oh, come on damnit, remember..." Sho smacked a palm to his forehead and leaned back against the far wall of the Tower's control chamber as the silence became pregnant with anticipation. "Park!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Fenway Park!"

"Which is?" Cheetara prompted.

"It's a... well, it *was* a baseball stadium. It was huge, too. Lots of chambers below ground for pipes, computer systems, sewage, maintenance... Yeah, a place like that would be like a built-in dungeon if the Mutant Army wanted to build a stronghold there. Salvador, are any of the walls still standing?"

"A few fragments. The Mutants have had the Brute Men hauling in more stone, I'm sure."

"Since you know what it was, Sho," Bengali began, "then you also know where it is?"

"Yeah, but that's where matters get a little sticky. From what Salvador told us, I know what continent we're on, now, but there aren't any cities. The maps Cheetara showed me probably won't cut it. If I could lay hands on an old American map, I could show you.

"American?" Panthro asked, bewildered.

"This continent," Turmagar explained, "was called during the days of Second Earth North America. The nation of Canada was to the north, and where we are, of course, North America."

"South were Mexico and the nation-states of South America," Sho added. "Hey, Turmagar, you wouldn't happen to have any old maps?"

"There are some in our archives," he said at length. "I can call ahead and have those still at camp to unseal them. The protections are rather intricate, though. Can you wait for an hour?"

"Sure."

"I'm sorry I do not have anything more substantial for you, ThunderCats," Salvador said.

"You brought us enough," Lion-O said with a smile. "We're in your debt, Salvador."

"Oh... It was..."

"Now, I'm sure you'd like to see your grandson."

"Mind if I take him, Lion-O?" Sho asked. "Since it's gonna be an hour before I can take a peek at those maps, I'd like to have something to do."

"You're planning to fly him there?" Tygra asked.

"Faster than walking," Sho answered with a wink and a grin. "Besides, I'd like to check in on the Warrior Maidens."

"If you're fine with that?" Lion-O asked Salvador.

"Of course!" the diminutive Wollo said eagerly. "Thank you, ThunderCats."

"It's we who haveta thank *you*," WilyKit stated. "And don't worry. We'll bring everyone back for you."

"I know. Good luck and Godspeed." Salvador came alongside Sho and the two of them departed the control chamber.

"I don't like him using the Guyver for everything," Panthro said once the doors shut.

"He doesn't," WilyKat replied. "But he's right, it's faster than walking."

"He needs this," Lion-O said. "Sho needs to see that his power really has accomplished some good."

"That's a generous notion," Cheetara said from his left.

"Besides, we need to start coming up with a plan. First, though, our Thundrillium reserves aren't enough for a long-range mission like this and the Feliner's just not armed well enough to rely on it alone."

"There's a pretty fair vein about ten miles south," Panthro said, nodding. "We tapped it a few months back for if the one nearby started running dry. Since that one's shot for now, we can get started on the other shaft."

"We'll get started now. Tygra, remain here with Cheetara and Pumyra. When Sho returns and Turmagar's archives are open, I'd like for you two to accompany them to review those maps."

"And you?" Tygra asked.

"I can't put mining that shaft on Bengali and Panthro alone. I'll be with them."

Salvador, after having bidden thanks and farewell to the still-unconscious Myrlha, cast his gaze at SkyTomb parked alongside the Tower of Omens and shook his head. On trying to tell the ThunderCats about the powerful enemies having been assembled at Fortress Plun-Darr when they had informed him that not only Dyme, but the Lunattaks had been eradicated. Even Mumm-Ra! he thought incredulously.

All that, however, paled in comparison with the knowledge that he was about to meet his grandson for the first time.

"Ready?" Sho asked as they moved between vigilant Tuska warriors to a clear spot.

"I've been ready for a month, now," Salvador replied. Sho gave him a grin before trotting off several feet away.

"Guyver!" the human shouted and the air was shattered by the energy barrier and the armor appeared within to merge with Sho's body. The process took only little more than a second. Salvador shook his head in amazement at the sight of Sho's transformation, having never actually seen the entire thing.

"Time to go."

Salvador walked over to the much-taller Sho as his armored arms reached down and lifted him as if he were a mere child. After an apologetic warning concerning his intestinal fortitude, the ground dropped away beneath and the open sky welcomed them.

The coughing fit passed, leaving her chest sore and feeling as though she couldn't get enough air no matter how deeply she breathed through the clear mask.

Mask?

Myrlha tried to reach up and found tubes leading into her arms which led to bags suspended from stainless steel racks on each side of the bed. A hospital? She remembered their flight from the bone serpent, then that Guyver showing up... He'd brought them here! The ThunderCats! They had to...

"Welcome back," a pleasant female voice said from out of her field of vision. "You had me a little worried for a while, Myrlha."

"Who are you?" she said weakly.

"My name's Pumyra," the Puma replied. "Just relax while I check your vitals." Pumyra's fingers pressed against her wrist for a few moments. "Not quite where I want it, but better than it was. You got here in bad shape, but you're responding well. Are you hungry?"

"A little. Are you a healer?"

"Trained and accredited by the Thunderian Royal Medical Council." Pumyra then helped Myrlha sit up by way of elevating the head of the bed before bringing over a tray bearing a dish of what looked to be scrambled eggs and some kind of vegetable on the side. Myrlha removed the oxygen mask and the smells were like a slice of Heaven. The taste, she found, was just as nice. The vegetable had a medly of flavors, and the eggs were just like back on Thundera.

"You were only a little hungry?" Pumyra said with a wry grin after she was finished wolfing down the food.

"Okay, more than a little," she replied before realizing exactly to whom she was speaking. "I don't mean to sound so..."

"Don't worry about the title of ThunderCat," Pumyra said softly. "Just speak normally."

"But, you're one of the Nobles!"

"Right now, I'm your doctor. A sickbed is no place for formalities."

"O... Okay. Pumyra, you said your name was?"

"That's right. Sho brought you and Salvador here just last night."

"Guyver," Myrlha said absently, remembering the armored man's fight to save them from the bone serpent. "Salvador told me he's a human."

"That's right," Pumyra replied as she ran what appeared to be a medical scanner over the length of her body. "Good thing you're appetite's so ravenous. You need to gain ten more pounds."

"I never thought I'd hear anything like that," Myrlha said, feeling safe for the first time in what felt like decades. "I was always told to watch my weight, not watch it grow."

"Really?"

"I was a dancer back on Thundera," Myrlha said, lulled into relaxation. "Leonid Troupe."

"I always wanted to catch one of their shows," Pumyra said. "Your vitals are steadily improving, I'm glad to say. The pneumonia is reversing."

"Pneumonia?!"

"You've had a rough go, Myrlha," Pumyra said with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest. Salvador's already told us about the Mutant Army."

"But..."

"Not until I'm satisfied you're out of danger. You're still one sick kitten. I'll be back in an hour or so, I have some other tests to run."

"Is Salvador here?"

"No, he's already left with Sho. He stopped in to see you, though."

"I was still out of it," Myrlha said. "I hope he gets to his daughter and grandson."

"He will, rest assured."

The ground far below passed at a dizzying pace as Sho rocketed through the air with Salvador clinging tightly to his chest. Brown faded to green and green into lush emerald as the gravity controller chewed up the miles separating the Warrior Maiden camp from the Tower of Omens at a pace which would make Cheetara proud. If he could do it on foot, anyway.

"Doing okay?" Sho asked, sparing a downward glance at Salvador. The Wollo's hat was safely tucked into one of his duster's many pockets, his beard and remaining hair billowing madly in the wind. "Not going too fast?"

"If you could go any faster, Sho, I'd ask you to!" Salvador shouted to make himself heard over the roar of rushing air. It wasn't necessary, but Sho saw no reason to correct him. The forest canopy under which the Warrior Maidens were taking shelter came up at a rush and Sho had to slow to prevent overshooting it. They eased to a stop just above a small clearing where several of the female warriors stopped in their tracks and looked up in surprise.

Well, he thought, someone just appearing in the sky over their heads would be surprising whether they know me or not. Sho gently lowered them to the fragrant grasses below, Warrior Maidens parting to give him a berth. Once grounded, he set Salvador down and looked about for his daughter.

"Sho?" a flaxen-haired maiden asked. "Is there a problem?"

"No," he replied. "I just brought Salvador here to see his daughter and grandson." Jaws dropped open in stunned surprise at his statement before the one who had spoken to him turned about and indicated them to follow. Sho fell into step behind her and heard every murmur and worried whisper. For the first time, he refused to let it bother him. A few Warrior Maidens looked at him in naked curiosity, wondering how a male so short could become so large at a word.

The last time I was here, Lisker showed them that not all Guyvers have their best interests at heart, Sho thought.

"Sho?"

He paused, turning to find a young boy looking nervously up at him. Sho recognized him immediately.

"Hello, Kora," he said, kneeling down but still keeping his distance. "Doing okay?"

"I'm well. I... well... I never thanked you for saving me that time."

"You don't have to," Sho replied, "but you're welcome."

"I wanted to say I'm sorry, too. For acting like I was scared of you."

"Hey, you had a lot to be afraid of then. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not scared of you anymore," Kora said, his voice firm and resolute. "I know you won't hurt us."

"That's right, Kora," Sho said with a smile invisible beneath the faceplates of his armor. "And, thank you for saying all that." Kora gave him a bright smile before running off into the surrounding trees. Sho rose to his feet with a heart that felt as if it should surely burst and followed their escort once more. After a few minutes of walking, they encountered a trio of Warrior Maidens surrounding Analee and a Wollo who was cradling an infant in swaddling clothes. Rosa looked up and did a double-take at the sight of her father standing before her with Sho just behind him. The two of them stood stock still for a moment before Salvador charged over to his family. They spoke frantically in that lyrical language of theirs which reminded him of ancient Spanish. Sho stayed where he was as Rosa, her eyes spilling tears at the same rate as Salvador, handed over the child.

"Miguel," Salvador choked, repeating one of the words Sho had managed to catch.

"That's a great name," Sho said softly. He looked on as Analee walked slowly over to him.

"You have found them all?" she asked.

"We know where they are now. We'll rescue them. And the Mutant Army will pay for what they did to you. To everyone. I swear it."

"Word has reached us about the Lunattaks and Mumm-Ra," she said. "Most impressive."

"It wasn't really me. The Guyver took over when that monster damaged my brain."

"Even so," she continued, "the forces of darkness on Third Earth have been greatly diminished."

"We're not done yet."

"Evil can never be fully destroyed, Sho," Analee said.

"I'll keep fighting it, though."

"The ThunderCats have definitely rubbed off on you."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good," she said, placing a hand on his arm below the spike which grew into a sonic sword. "I meant it as one."

"Thank you."

"Sho! Come over here!" Sho obliged Salvador, striding over to the three Wollos. He looked down at the infant in Salvador's arms, asleep and filled with the potential held by every new life brought into the world.

"He's beautiful," Sho said as he looked at the innocent face. He shifted his gaze into the higher bands and saw the bright golden-and-pink hued energy which hung close to him. Intinctively, via the control medal, he understood their meaning. "He's really healthy, too."

"Here."

"I couldn't possibly... I mean..."

"It's okay," Salvador said and Rosa nodded. Sho carefully accepted the tiny life in his armored hands and gently shifted Miguel into the crook of his left arm, the tips of his right fingers supporting the head.

These hands have ended so many lives, he thought, and here they've brought three together. That knowledge, that the Guyver could be used to protect and save and not always to avenge and destroy, filled him with a pride and hope he hadn't felt in...

He'd never felt this before. Nothing even close. He wondered if the ThunderCats felt this way whenever they saved a life or protected someone in peril. Regardless, he thought as he stared down at the baby Wollo in his arms, it was a damn fine feeling.

"Welcome to Third Earth, Miguel," Sho said. "It's a wonderful world you're facing. Just be brave." With that, he handed the child back to Salvador. Rosa came up to him, then, staring into his eyepieces. She took a deep breath, as though searching for the proper words.

"Senor Guyver," she began, "Thank you. I will never forget this."

"You're welcome," Sho replied. "But, just call me Sho. All my friends do."

"Sho." Rosa smiled and motioned for him to bend to her. Sho went to a knee and Rosa wasted no time in embracing him. He heard Analee tell Salvador that the Warrior Maidens had been helping her with Standard during her time among them as he returned her gesture. They parted, and Sho rose to his feet once more.

"There're still some things we have to do," he said to Analee. "I can't linger."

"Salvador will remain with us until you and the ThunderCats rescue his people."

"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me." Sho activated the gravity controller and soared skyward once again, headed to the Tower of Omens.

He wanted to shed tears of joy at the bursting light within his own heart. He wanted to yell with exhilaration, turn somersaults on his way back to the tower. The emotions thrumming throughout his entire body gave him a near euphoric high that no Second Earth drug would have been able to match. There was more to his life than bloodshed and destruction, he now knew. He could follow the Code of Thundera and find immeasurable joy in doing good. Mumm-Rana was wrong, and for the first time Sho could believe it.

Just one more time, he thought as the knowledge that the rest of the Wollos were enslaved alongside countrymen of the ThunderCats. One more battle. Then, maybe I can live a peaceful life.

Maybe, he thought as he left Salvador with two generations of his progeny, the world does need the Guyver after all. Maybe people do need me.

Grune forced himself to relax as he stared out at the vista afforded him from the unfinished chambers he'd selected in Fortress Plun-Darr. The structure from the outside looked patently ridiculous, merely a pair of taloned arms guarding a massive door and ending at a plateau of naked girders and support struts. Completely and utterly indefensible, and he lacked the time to rectify that before the coming strike. He had firepower and manpower, though. Also, though the ThunderCats did not know it, they had lost the element of surprise. Grune knew they would bring reinforcements, likely those Tuskas. Their somewhat advanced weaponry wasn't on a Thunderian scale, but it was still plenty potent enough for Plun-Darr technology. He recalled those strange warriors from his previous life, and had taken a sort of pride in his battles with them. They had been using mere projectile weapons then, pistols and things they'd called shotguns, and had also been lousy shots. He'd been told that their tactics and weaponry had vastly improved over the centuries, procured from other visitors to Third Earth and found in hidden weapons caches from Second Earth. They could pose a problem.

Such as the problems he knew he would face from within his own camp. Chilla's loyalty went only as far as was to her advantage, though Grune had to admire her methods of trying to manipulate him. He hadn't had such fun in centuries. And then there was Lisker...

Ah, he thought as his fingers traced the hilt of his mace. That one was another matter all together. While his warning had been genuine, Grune couldn't help but feel that something was amiss with the whole situation. Lisker had shown no signs of interest in furthering their cause, his only interest being that other Guyver. And the Wollo woman he'd taken under his care. As a matter of fact, Lisker had just left this very room not ten minutes before, insisting that she be made his personal slave. He'd spouted something about her not having fully recovered yet, and that his quarters aboard the Ravager needed a woman's touch. Grune had capitulated without much interest at the time, reading between the lines that something else needed a woman's touch, and it had nothing to do with his chambers' decor. Even if the Mutants objected - seeing as how he'd taken even the slaves they'd had as concubines - none of them would openly raise a fuss. Lisker was also a Guyver, and he had made that fact quite clear by slaughtering the four Simians which had assaulted the Wollo. They knew better than to challenge Lisker.

Grune smiled, a wicked rictus that emphasized his missing saber tooth. That was the fly in the ointment he'd been looking for. Lisker hadn't bothered overthrowing him, which had relieved Grune to no end, or even challenging him. Some of the Mutants might try to change that. The human didn't seem the type to take to having his ego stroked by a bunch of drooling idiots. That left only Chilla. The Lunattak had methods of persuasion that the Mutants thankfully lacked. Since Lisker seemed to have no issues with having women not of his own kind, he could see him falling prey to her feminine wiles. In fact, Grune wouldn't have been surprised if she were warming up to him at this very moment.

She'll see him as a far more advantageous partner than me, he thought as he stared at the noonday sky. Its pale blue expanse did little to slow his churning mind, merely serving as a canvass upon which he painted images of Chilla carressing Lisker, whispering that his power was the greater, that...

Grune's heart froze in his chest as Chilla and Lisker faded and the sky bore her image instead. Her eyes, sad and oh so mournful, pleading silently asking him why making him face the...

"AWAY FROM ME!" he roared, drawing the spiked club in an instant and smashing it into the wall adjacent to the window hard enough to make the glass crack. She faded, back to his memories where he would not have to face her. Ever since he'd betrayed the Code of Thundera and the ThunderCats, Grune could not bear seeing her face. All that time spent sealed in a tomb, he had struggled against the image of her, of...

"Enough!" Grune took several deep breaths and savored the scent of freshly laid stone. He couldn't afford to lose control of himself, not now. He still had use for Chilla and he had no wish to confront Lisker as the Guyver. Grune still recalled how his last sight before death claimed him the first time was his own still-beating heart clutched in the armored hand of that black creature.

I thought I'd tasted its full power then, he thought with a great shudder. On seeing what one of those things could really do so recently, he'd realized he was wrong.

In the rear of the ThunderTank, Cheetara glanced over at a still-beaming Sho as he reclined comfortably against the vibrating sidewall. Turmagar sat up front with Tygra, the Tuska commander needing to be present and able to immediately clear them to enter the Tuska camps. While the Tuskas and the ThunderCats had been allies for quite some time, the walrus-like warriors had their own rigid forms of protocol to which they had adhered since time out of mind. Cheetara didn't mind it, however, the seats in the rear were in her opinion more comfortable. And, she had been meaning to speak to Sho since his return. Lion-O had obviously been quite correct in allowing him to personally escort Salvador to the Warrior Maiden camp.

"Does it always feel this good?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue.

"Does what?"

"Seeing people reunited like that."

"Every time," she replied with a warm smile. They were able to converse normally, mainly due to Tygra not having as much lead in his foot as Panthro. "I've been meaning to ask, how's Rosa's baby?"

"Just fine. Salvador even insisted I hold him. His name's Miguel, by the way."

"Miguel," she repeated. "That's a nice name."

"He looked so small in my hands," Sho continued. "It was a new life, Cheetara, and now he'll grow up with his mother and grandfather. And, when we're done, that little guy's gonna have all his people to grow up with."

"Makes you want one of your own?"

"Phsttt...bwah... gaahhh... Cheetara!" Sho cried. For her part, she held a hand to her mouth to stifle laughter. "You enjoy doing that, don't you?" Cheetara raised her other hand with thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "Point taken."

"Listen, Sho," Cheetara said once the laughter passed. "When we confront the Mutant Army, you must remember that we'll be at war. You can't afford to hold back. None of us can."

"Especially since Lisker's gonna be my problem," Sho replied, his face growing hard. "I know that's what Lion-O will tell me. I'm really the only one who can keep him off of you."

"Off of everyone," she corrected. "Not just me."

"Right."

"Has he sent you any dreams?"

"No. I cut my mind off from him."

"You could use that link to garner information on the Mutant Army," she said with a frown.

"And he could do the same to me," Sho replied, shaking his head. "Besides, he'd know if I was rooting around in his head, and he'd just cut me off."

"I see," Cheetara said as she leaned back into the seat. Sho looked at her, his face betraying curiosity.

"Why have you and the Mutants been at each other's throats for so long?"

"Good question," Cheetara said in reply. "Truthfully, we've been adversaries for so long that no one knows anymore."

"You just keep butting heads over and over?"

"The Mutants constantly try to destroy us. We keep defending ourselves. The Code of Thundera prevents us from striking out at them first."

"I know the feeling," Sho replied. "Kronos, while this was all Second Earth, never gave my friends and I any peace. Even when we went on the offensive, it seemed like we weren't accomplishing anything."

"War is a vicious cycle," Cheetara said. "Just because others start it doesn't mean we, as ThunderCats, should ever sink to the level of those who do. Even so, we're still caught in it. All we can do is protect ourselves, and those who stand with us."

"Don't forget," Sho said, his face a display of determination, "those who can't protect themselves."

"I didn't," Cheetara replied with a smile and a wink. "I was just hoping you hadn't."

"I won't. Never." Sho gazed upward and sighed heavily. "I know now that I can use the Guyver to protect. And that's what I'll do." They continued on in relative silence for awhile as the western areas and the Tuska's home drew nearer. "The ride's a lot smoother than the last time I rode in the ThunderTank. Did Panthro replace something?"

"No. He's not driving," Cheetara said, chuckling slightly. "He tends to drive faster than necessary sometimes."

"Well, he designed it, he built it, so I guess Panthro has every right to drive it like he stole it."

"Like what?!" Tygra exclaimed from his position at the controls.

"It's a euphemism from Second Earth," Sho explained, his face beet red. "It means to drive really fast."

"Do yourself a favor, Sho," Tygra replied calmly, "never say that in front of Panthro."

"Got it," Sho said meekly. The sun continued to shrink ahead of them, and Tygra had to engage the polarized front screens to cut the glare as the Tuska Camps slowly crept into view. It would be an all-nighter, that was for sure, and Sho was determined not to sleep until he could accurately pinpoint the location of Fortress Plun-Darr.

No way can I trust Chilla, Lisker thought as he made his weary way back to his quarters. He'd caught the looks she'd been shooting him at odd points throughout the day, questioning and calculating. She knew he was a Guyver and therefore far more preferable to have at her side than Grune. Events were becoming more complicated than his plan could really afford. If he played along with her, he ran the risk of alienating Grune. While he could easily take control of the Mutant Army from him, with it came the task of keeping a bunch of unruly and somewhat disgruntled primitives in line long enough for the plan to come off. Grune already had them well under heel, and Lisker saw no reason to change that. It was only a matter of time before Chilla made a move on him, and he had to put that off as long as possible. His preparations were progressing nicely and he needed complete secrecy and isolation in order to complete them.

Most importantly, for reasons that were both clinically logical and utterly nonsensical, he had to keep Maria isolated and safe. She knew his plan in detail, and he could not risk anyone getting it out of her. That was the main reason, he kept telling himself as the greenish-tinted walls of one of the Ravager's many corridors passed him by. Keeping her safe, of course, had something to do with it. It was too late to use anyone else for this, and who would expect one of the mild Wollos to be the main catalyst for something like this? Yes, that made sense.

Deep within, Maria's words kept replaying themselves in her lilting, accented voice. The door to his quarters opened, and the sight of her sitting on the main bench in the center of the floorspace ratcheted the volume of those words by several levels. Her head snapped up at once, face softening at the sight of him. Warmth blossomed in her eyes, tinged with a healthy dose of anxiety.

"Having second thoughts?" he asked as the door slid shut and locked behind him. "I know I'm asking a lot..."

"I am nervous," she said when he took a seat beside her. "But I will do it." Lisker smiled at that while he placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Don't try to be a hero. Once you've done your part, stay clear of the action." Maria remained silent, and Lisker gently squeezed her shoulder. "I know you want to see your people again," he continued, drawing her toward him and trying to ignore the warmth growing inside, "and I wish I could let you. But, I... no, *we* can't take the risk of Grune finding out. Or one of the Mutants finding what I gave you. Are they on you?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice tight. She patted a space on the side of the jacket he'd given her. "I managed to stitch a pocket in the lining. I can open it by pulling a loose thread."

"It's so big on you, nobody'll see an outline. Good work, Maria." His words were warm, even proud. "I know this is hard for you. Be strong..." his reassurances were cut off by one of her fingers pressing against his lips.

"I have been waiting here for you," she said before removing said finger. She eased from under his arm, rising more easily than she had since he'd brought her here and turning to face him. Lisker leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on his fists.

As the reddish-gold light faded gradually from the lone window, Maria gathered her resolve and her courage. She undid the first button on the jacket she wore with fingers more steady than she really felt...

"Stop."

"I..." she faltered, her emotions in utter turmoil.

"I know what you feel for me," he said, his eyes tormented.

"Were you lying when you said you feel the same?" Her heart threatened to break at the notion of her feelings being one-sided. Lisker closed his eyes and heaved a weary sigh before answering.

"I wasn't lying," he said, and her heart beat quicker. "And I'm fine with us being... of two races. God knows I've never felt like this for a human woman."

"Never? Not once?" Maria couldn't believe it!

"I've made love with other women," he explained, and she couldn't help a flash of jealousy at it. "But it's always been... empty. Just biological need, or jockeying for position and prestige in Kronos."

"Kronos?"

"The... organization I used to work for," he said after a slight hesitation. "You don't really want the details of what they used to do, trust me on that."

"Lisker... You've never loved anyone?"

"When I stopped that monkey from whipping you," he went on, "it was just as I said. You'd all work faster if you weren't beaten so much. I kept watching you, all of you, toiling under them and it made me sick."

"That's why you've made this plan." Maria began to see him better and better. He was so torn between the darkness and the light that it was a wonder it didn't paralyze him.

"Mostly, yeah." His words of encouragement, his reassuring demeanor, all of that was gone now. What she saw now was Oswald Lisker as a man with his own demons hounding him, from the distant past of Second Earth to his current place among the Mutant Army. "With Mumm-Ra out of the way, there's no real obstacle to it. Maria, I know that we feel for each other, and I have no clue how it happened. This is all uncharted territory for me."

"I have never loved a man, not before you." Tenderly, she clasped his hands in her smaller ones. "When you first protected me, I was afraid. When you killed those monkeys who'd beaten me and then brought me here, I was certain it was so you could do yourself what they wanted to."

"I would never..."

"I know that, now. I began to realize it when you first bandaged me. When I first offered myself to you, it was out of fear." She released his hands, and this time he made no move to stop her as she undid the jacket and let it fall to the floor to reveal Maria in all her glory. "Now, I give myself to you freely." His eyes widened, nostrils flaring slightly as his breathing quickened. She was anxious, even a touch frightened at something she had only heard of yet had never experienced.

"You're certain?" he asked, his own voice thick with desire.

"Completely."

Lisker took in the sight of her, standing bare and vulnerable and waiting for him, and found the true source of her beauty in his eyes. Unlike the others, this wouldn't be the venerable "wham-bam-thank-ya-ma'am" he'd always known. He rose, six-three to her five-even, and cradled her in his arms.

"You're still hurt."

"I'm recovered enough. Thanks to you." At those words, Lisker scooped her up from the floor and proceeded to the bedchamber. The lights came up as they entered, revealing the hard surface of the bed. While he lay her on the flat top, their lips met, and it seemed as though they would never part until they broke free, both gasping for air.

As the sun fully set, Oswald Arthur Lisker realized the purest, most gentle love of his life. And it was wonderful.

The sun had just begun to set as the ThunderTank rumbled past the main defense belt of the Tuska Camps, aided by Turmagar's presence aside Tygra. Guards snapped to attention briskly as they were waved through into a scene that, to Sho, seemed lifted from his fragmented memory. Long, squat structures rested in neat rows and served apparently as troop barracs. Several long hangars stood with their doors shut and armed Tuskas standing guard beneath a sign depicting a rifle which led him to the conclusion that they were armories. The cool, fresh air mingled with the strange odors of the even stranger Gomplins which the Tuskas used for air support. Tygra parked the ThunderTank alongside one corral of such beasts, and Sho found that he really didn't want to know about how they were even possible. The quartet strode past equipment sheds and saluting Tuskas, deeper into the heart of the encampment toward a towering wall of jagged stone.

Sho gazed up at the massive jet colored door and felt his mind twist. Situated within the very cliff, it rested flush with the stone surrounding it. Lodged in the center of the twelve foot high entrance sat a sphere of blood red, with locking bars radiating out from it. From the blackness of his memory came the image of another doorway, identical to the one before him. In fact, if he wasn't mistaken, this was the very same one.

"It took us decades to learn to open this door, once we found it," Turmagar explained, exchanging salutes with the two guards on each side. "Only the commander, myself in this case, knows the keywords to open it."

"What if you're attacked?" Tygra asked, staring openly at the structure. "Couldn't some enemy force breach this?"

"Not likely," Sho replied, certain of his memory now. "That door's a foot thick, constructed of solid titanium. With each keyword input, each locking bar retracts from the control sphere. Once all ten words are accepted, the sphere will swivel and the door will open."

"You have an eye for mechanical detail," Turmagar said, clearly impressed.

"The doorway leads to an elevator shaft," Sho continued, "which descends eighty feet into a maze of natural caverns that had been transformed into a completely self-contained clean environment. On the floor of the first level is the emblem for SANDALWOOD Special Corps and the motto 'Domina Liberate Me'." Sho's jaw snapped shut as the two guards immediately trained their weapons on him amid surprised yelps from the two ThunderCats.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!" the guard on the right bellowed.

"Lower your weapon!" Turmagar snapped. The two obeyed, though reluctantly. "Sho, how could you possibly know this?"

"I've been in there before," Sho replied. "Before it was first sealed."

"B... But..." the Tuska stammered, "That was over two thousand years ago!"

"Still," Sho said, "I was there. This was a repository of equipment, weapons, supplies, everything needed to preserve and restore civilization. I don't remember everything in it, and I'm not too clear on what happened to make it necessary. But I. Was. Here." Turmagar looked closely at him for several moments before nodding his head.

"If you say you were here, then I believe you," he said. "There's simply no other way for you to know what is inside." The tension in the air thinned, bodies and trigger fingers visibly relaxing much to everyone's relief. "I apologize for the eagerness of my men, but what is within served as our very lifeblood before we became the force we are today. The control panel is re-installed, and I need only a moment." The bars retracted along their tracks as Turmagar input the ten words and, on the last, the red orb in the center slowly rotated to show its emerald half. "Do not enter until the door fully opens," Turmagar warned as the massive obsidian barricade slid smoothly outward, "the internal security systems don't deactivate until then." This required several minutes as ancient systems came online and worked to move the solid single-ton door.

"That motto," Tygra said as the entrance grew steadily wider, "it doesn't sound like any word of your language I've heard."

"It's not," Sho replied. "It's from an ancient language called Latin. I don't speak it, but I do know a few phrases. Domina Liberate Me means God Save Us." The door finally stood open to reveal a short corridor lit from hidden sources within the joinings of the walls. In silence, the foursome stepped into the cool , sterile interior which was in stark contrast to the fragrant air outside which seemed to make the coming winter feel nearer. Their footfalls echoed in the confining space as they stepped onto the grated metal of the elevator platform. Turmagar placed his hand atop a lone panel set on the corner of the chamber and with a smooth motion the floor descended into the depths of the earth.

The main doors opened onto a scene that made Sho goggle with amazement. All about him rested powerloaders, bulldozers, Armored Personnel Carriers, armored motorcycles, and that was just along one wall.

"Sho?" Turmagar asked. "Do you recognize any of this?"

"Oh," he replied mildly, "only everything..." Sho shook himself out of the fugue of fractured memories. "Nevermind, we don't have time for that. Let's hit those maps." Through long alleys, they passed along pieces of Second Earth's ingenuity in the image of hydroponic systems for growing crops and machines used in the construction of homes for multitudes, and its potential for destruction in the form of stacks of plastique and the phased plasma rifles SANDALWOOD had developed in secret. Sho had few memories of the men and women in that organization and of his time there, yet he was certain that it was where he had learned English to better communicate with the soldiers and commanders.

"So much here," Tygra said in awe. "As though the entire history of Second Earth is here."

"Much of it is," Turmagar replied as they came to a small unremarkable door. "Unfortunately, there is very little documentation about the people who built this wondrous place." Beyond the door lay rows of cabinets of various sizes along both walls with sets of tables set in even intervals in the center. Upon selecting the proper drawer, Turmagar pulled a laminated sheet from a faded folder and set it down upon a table. Sho looked at it along with Tygra, Cheetara, and the Tuska commander and felt a strange wave of grief crash over him. At the top corner of the map Sho saw:

"SWS-104."

"Does this have meaning?"

"Sure does, Cheetara. SANDALWOOD Site 104. Now I know where we are." Sho tapped a point on the map. "Eastern Colorado. How far did we travel?" Tygra looked down at the map and performed a few quick mental calculations.

"Four hundred seventy-three miles," he said after a moment. "Which puts the Tower of Omens... here." Tygra's finger tapped the map at the origin point of their trek.

"Southern Kansas, near Oklahoma," Sho said. "Makes sense. Kansas was part of the old American Breadbasket. Lots of grains were grown, but it was a dry area a lot of the time where the Tower is."

"According to my math," Cheetara added, "the entrance to Darkside is here on the borders of Kansas and a place called Missouri."

"How far does Darkside go?"

"We have no idea," Tygra replied. "Cat's Lair," he continued, fascinated, "was here." His finger landed on the map where their home had once stood. "In the southeastern sector of Nebraska."

"Winters there tended to be a bit rough," Sho explained. "What I don't understand is why there are forests there. Nebraska was pretty flat, if I recall right."

"We may never know," Turmagar said grimly. "The early days of Third Earth are shrouded in darkness, much of it Mumm-Ra's doing I'd wager."

"Now," Cheetara said firmly. "Where is this Fenway Park?"

"Here," Sho said, indicating a piece of land far to the northeast of Darkside. "The state of Massachusetts."

"How did they manage that much distance in a month?" Tygra asked, puzzled.

"Does it matter?" Cheetara asked. "They did. Now, we have to as well."

"Besides," Tygra added, "we don't know the exact route they took to find us, nor do we know what we'll find at this Fortress Plun-Darr. But, at least we know where it is."

"The hour is quite late," Turmagar said, "perhaps the three of you should remain here tonight?"

"We'll contact the Tower first." Cheetara stretched her lithe frame. "Lion-O should be back from the Thundrillium mine by now."

Weary and coated in dust, Lion-O stood in the control chamber of the Tower of Omens as Cheetara's voice sounded from the comm system.

"Remain at the Tuska Camp for tonight," he said. "Things are going to start happening fast, and we all need to be fully alert."

"Got it. How is Myrlha?"

"She's recovering. As soon as Pumyra clears her to address Council, we'll have detailed knowledge about the Mutant Army. From there, we'll develop a plan to strike."

"And, the thundrillium mine?"

"As rich as Panthro said it was. We managed a good haul and the Tower's reactor is topped off. In another day or two, we'll have all we need. Has Sho pinpointed the Mutant Army?"

"He's isolated the general area," she replied around a yawn, "but he doesn't know the exact coordinates. Turmagar's maps aren't that specific. We'll need Myrlha for that."

"How far away are they?"

"Very. It's a wonder her and Salvador made it here in only a month. They must have had help."

"She'll tell us once she's recovered enough." Lion-O stretched his sore and weary muscles and wished Cheetara were there beside him. "Sleep well, my love."

"You, too," she replied warmly. "Don't get too lonely over there. I love you."

"And I you. Hurry back tomorrow."

"Be careful when you tell me to hurry," her voice chuckled. "Good night." The connection clicked off, and Lion-O turned to head for the quarters he shared with Cheetara. A shower was the first on his to-do list before bed.

Maria awoke in the depths of the night, seeing stars outside the window which she had just recently seen within her own mind. She felt his sleeping form against her back and she snuggled deeper into it, lost in utter bliss. The ancient teachings regarding what they had done had been proven wrong, and on so many levels!

So much he had done! she thought, drinking in his warmth. She had no idea that humans were such... talented lovers. He had done things to her without his manhood that she'd never even *considered* before consummating their forbidden love. She had been told that the first love between a man and a woman ended in pain, but this had been in complete contrast to it. In fact, when he had taken her maidenhood, she had been so aroused that it had been a minor discomfort before waves of pleasure far more intense than anything she had ever experienced on her own took her into a land of utter ecstacy. Even now, she was still in the grip of a high that left her floating on the very clouds and had her mired in the deepest satisfaction she had ever known.

Slow and easy, she thought with a contented moan, that's the way.

Beneath those pleasant thoughts, though, Maria faced a difficult choice. Or, perhaps, not a difficult one at all.

"I love you," his voice said from the blackness. His arm circled over her breasts, and Maria revelled in the contact. "I don't know why, but I do."

"You do. That is enough."

"No, it isn't" his voice replied. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. In fact, I want more." Never had more sincere words passed her lips. Maria snuggled tighter against him, feeling his hairless flesh against her furred body.

"I think I can arrange that," Lisker's voice purred into her ear. "But first..."

"Yes?"

"We won't be accepted by the other Wollos, will we?" A great freeze gripped her heart at Lisker's statement, bringing to the fore a truth that she had been hoping to avoid for as long as possible.

"No," she said after a lengthy pause and the wonderful afterglow of their lovemaking threatened to shatter.

"I didn't think so. I can't expect them to get around the fact that I was one of those who kept them enslaved."

"That... is not why." Maria steeled herself before sliding away from him on the hard bed and turning to look into his handsome face. "Lisker, what we have done... When Wollo women are taken by human men... it is often by force. Love between two of our kind, it is mostly thought impossible."

"I'd say it's not." He stroked her cheek with those words, and she wanted to melt at his touch. "But, I have to admit, I'd thought it was before tonight."

"A human and a Wollo," she continued as the joy drained from their bed, "cannot conceive children. Wollos are told not to seek love outside our own kind." She paused as tears threatened to spill, harsh reality seeping in to poison the most amazing moment of her life. "It hurts so much, but it is truth." Her eyes flashed open as Lisker's mouth found hers. Despite all she had just told him, she met his kiss with equal fervor. She loved this man, and she could not change that anymore than she could change the fact that, by all rights, she should not.

"I'm sorry," he said, gazing into her with those sea-blue eyes. "I had no idea I was forcing you into such a position."

"You have not forced me," she replied, her hand reaching out to stroke his bare chest. "I chose this for myself. We cannot live among Wollos."

"I can't ask you to choose between me and your people!"

"I have already chosen," Maria said, "and do not ask me if I am certain. I have made up my mind. We must live apart from Wollokind, but I can do that so long as you are with me." Lisker smiled at her, an expression of pure love as his arms encircled her and rolled her atop him. She gazed down into his handsome face, and nothing had ever felt so right.

"If this is what you want," he said, "then I'll always be there for you. No matter what."

Lisker realized that this was a time for rolling with the shape of events and not the actual form as Maria rested atop him. He chose not to ponder why he felt this way for her too deeply, not now, or why this felt so right to him. His own mother, so long ago and so far away, had told him that love knew no hard and fast rules and had no respect for time and circumstance. He had never considered that she'd known exactly what she'd been talking about. Until now, that is. They lay there together, time having lost any real meaning or cohesion, as the night slowly faded into day. Lisker thought back to the time of Second Earth, or, more accurately his own past as he held her. He had been only a boy during the Civil Rights Movement in America, and had come of age in an era where humans of different skin colors could not love each other without inviting at the least scorn and at the most, and more often, violence. He looked down Maria's exposed back and wondered what people of that time would have thought of something like this. They would've probably succumbed to an apoplectic fit, he mused.

"Have you asked Grune?" she asked, startling him.

"Huh?" Maria raised her head at that.

"About keeping me as your... pet?" She said the last with an impish smile that only made her more beautiful.

"He agreed," Lisker replied. "He wasn't paying much attention at the time. I don't think he really gives a damn." His mood dropped, then, at the recollection of what he'd had to tell her before this... detour seemed insufficient, but was all he could come with. "So far as Grune knows, you're my slave and nothing else. You'll have to act differently if either him or Chilla is here."

"I understand. I can do that. Are your preparations complete?"

"Almost. I just hope I guessed right on how soon the ThunderCats are gonna get here."

"They won't dawdle."

"I'm sure of it. Now, if I recall correctly," Lisker said as he stroked her obsidian hair, "you said you wanted..."

"Wollos aren't known to be liars," Maria replied.

Agito couldn't believe it. Could one of the zoacrystals be there, in the Tuska Camps? It was so tantalizing, the possibility that his goal was so close at hand...

No, he cautioned himself. He couldn't afford to assault the Tuska Camps only to find himself wrong. He had been patiently awaiting Sho's return for two thousand years, there was no reason to jump the gun now. His goal would be realized...

An intense feeling of joy and pleasure swept him up in a tide of a love he would never have thought possible as she...

Agito pulled himself out of the tide of raw emotion Guyver Two was broadcasting and sealed his mind off from it. He had known Lisker only briefly during his time in Kronos, and the American had struck him as one who would use a woman for his own ends. Something like this utterly surprised him, even moreso by the fact that the woman Agito had seen through Lisker's eyes was a Wollo.

He shook his head and chuckled in amusement. Lisker had no idea what he was getting into. When Wollos fell for someone, they fell hard. At some point, Lisker would realize that though she could spend all her life with him, he could never spend all of his with her. She would age, yet he would not, and that wouldn't do anything good for them at all.

Even so, Agito simply couldn't believe that Lisker actually loved her. How strange was that?

In the next episode

With the general location of the Mutant Army known, Turmagar begins to prepare his warriors to fight alongside the ThunderCats for the good of all Third Earth. Sho and Myrlha meet again, and embers begin to grow between human and Thunderian. Lisker's preparations near completion, while Chilla schemes against her supposed ally. What is Lisker's plan, and what is to be Maria's crucial role in it? Can their unlikely love possibly survive? Will Maria be able to bring Lisker's plan to free the enslaved Wollos and Thunderians? All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	23. The Paths we Take

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Twenty-Three

What the hell was that dream about? Sho asked himself as the first rays of the sun peeked through the clear pane of the window of the barraks in which Cheetara, Tygra, and he had slept in. Details slipped through his fingers like morning fog as he tried to assemble some cohesive image of it. All he could recall was a warm feeling of satisfaction and contentment. Whatever, he thought as he roused himself from beneath the sheet. Having slept on his stomach, Sho rose up on all fours and stretched himself outward with a releived groan. Sho swung his legs out and onto the floor and found himself facing a wide-awake Cheetara and Tygra looking at him with quizical amusement.

"What?"

"Feeling a little feline this morning?" Cheetara asked with a wink.

"Huh? Wha... Oh!" Sho blinked hard when he realized what she was talking about. "Well, Analee did say you guys were rubbing off on me."

"And in unexpected ways," Tygra chuckled. "I guess the Code of Thundera isn't enough for you, Sho. I'll wait until you start developing stripes before I become worried."

"Now, Tygra," Cheetara admonished. "Personally, I think he'd look good in spots."

"I could do the spots," Sho replied, getting into the joke, "but I don't think I could pull off the leotard." Hearty laughter echoed in the low-ceilinged barraks for several moments after the jibe.

"Now, if I catch you trying it on," Cheetara added, "then *I'll* be worried!"

"Jeez, *I'd* be worried at that point!" Sho hooted, and all three fell into a bout of hilarity again. The trio were still chuckling once they stepped out into the new day to the sight of gomplins in the corral being outfitted with heavy bombs.

"Friends!" Turmagar shouted, running over in a clear hurry.

"What's this?" Tygra asked.

"There is battle coming," the Tuska said gravely. "And if my warriors are to fight it by the ThunderCats' side, then we will come correct!"

"Thank you," Cheetara said warmly. "Will you be returning with us?"

"No. I must finish organizing the transfer of troops. We will arrive at the Tower by sundown tomorrow."

"Until then, friend," Tygra said before the three walked to the waiting ThunderTank. The two Thunderians occupied the front with Sho taking a place at the rear partition facing forward just behind them. The mighty engine roared into life with a sequence of switches and handles that left Sho utterly baffled. "Since I didn't steal it, Sho, I won't drive it like I did."

"Okay, okay, I get it. The joke was lame."

"Very."

He finished dressing, frowning at the wrinkles that had taken residence in the fabrics of his clothes from when he had casually discarded them on the floor. Lisker straightened his tie and ran a hand across the stubble now adorning his face with a grimace. There was nothing even approaching a clean, or safe, shaving implement to be found in his quarters and he had not had a beard since he'd first sprouted one during his teenage years.

Well, damn, he thought, look at the woman you made love with last night. He did so and found himself smiling gently. The sheet came up to the small of her back, his eyes tracing the curve of her spine which moved easily up and down with each relaxed breath she took. On looking, really looking, at her, Lisker saw much in her body and face that was in fact more human than he had first thought. He didn't want to wake her, she needed her sleep after what they'd done the night before, but he knew he had to.

"Maria," he said, gently shaking her shoulder. She snored softly, then blinked her eyes a few times in the growing light. They focused on him and a smile played across her lips.

"Morning already?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Morning already," he repeated as an answer. "How're you feeling?"

"I am well," she replied around a yawn. "Last night was not a mistake, Lisker. Never think that."

Damn! he thought, stunned. He had, on some level, been thinking that. It was a risk to his plan to get too closely involved with her, and he had been entirely honest when he'd said he didn't want to force such a choice on her. Looking down at her, he could see that her mind was firmly made up.

This is a complication! the pragmatic side of him screamed. Break it off while you still can!

"I won't." His voice betrayed nothing of his inner emotions. From next to the bed, he grabbed Maria's jacket and handed it to her. "You really shouldn't be too far away from this from now on."

"I know." Maria accepted the garment from him and rolled onto her back to cover herself with it. "Will your preparations be finished today?"

"No," Lisker replied. "I have to meet with Grune and Chilla to help plan our defense against the ThunderCats." Maria's face fell slightly at that. "All part of the plan, Maria."

"Still, it makes me uneasy to hear you say that."

"Just remember that everyone will be free at the end of it." He didn't add the inevitable "if". Such went without saying. "I'll be back." Without a further word, Lisker made his exit from the bedchamber and Maria heard the main entrance open then shut and lock behind him.

She lay there, Lisker's jacket all that was between her and the world, and breathed in his scent as deeply as she could. He was having second thoughts. She could see it in his motions and hear it in his words. She could not blame him, truth be told. Not many would accept a Wollo and a human as a couple. Maria had heard of some Wollos who had eloped with human lovers, and often never returned. If her family knew that, not only did she feel this way but that she had given him her maidenhood, it was possible they would cast her out.

No, she thought as she curled up into the strange fabric, they would certainly cast her out of their house. A Wollo of her unusual stature, and not many ever stood above four and a quarter feet and she was five even, would have had difficulty finding a husband among her own kind. Her father had even been discussing an arrainged marriage for her just before Dyme's attack had destroyed their village and enslaved them here.

If that hadn't happened, she thought, I would never have met Lisker. Fate, it seems, can be so capricious. She hadn't told him any of this, of course. She knew he felt bad enough about making her choose without hearing what her own family would do. For the first time, Maria realized just how much love could hurt.

I must be strong, Maria thought as she donned the coat whose threads were coated in his scent. I made my choice, even if Lisker does not fully realize it. She breathed his essence in as she dressed herself in the only garment she owned and recalled their previous night of passion. His motions had been so gentle they were nearly timid from fear of causing her harm and at first her moans and cries had been encouragement. Before long, though, those cries had been genuine indeed and filled her ears as he...

Maria smiled to herself at the recollection as she curled up in the jacket. Lisker's gift to her pressed into her side and she revelled in its presence as well. With the Wollos, she faced the prospect of a loveless marriage without her right to choose. Without them, she had freedom to decide for herself what she wanted. She had him. She would miss her friends, her parents, but she would have the one she truly loved. And, it wasn't as if he couldn't protect her. Her people would be free again once Lisker's plan came off, and she was to be the instrument of that freedom. Given that, Maria felt better about her decision.

"Papa... Mama... I love him," Maria said as she rose from their bed for another day of anxious waiting. For the ThunderCats. For freedom. For Lisker. "Even if you never forgive me, I love him." She knew she would not get the chance to say such to them in person, and not having them present made the words easier.

She needed him, Maria realized, perhaps as much as he needed her.

"Lisker," Chilla nearly purred once Grune left what would become the main control room of Fortress Plun-Darr, "I want a word with you. In private."

"It's private enough here," the human said, crossing his arms and staring directly into her eyes with a look of cold determination. "What do you want?" Chilla reigned in her temper at his impertinence. She needed this to come off smoothly, and Lisker wasn't exactly a normal human. Not by a fucking long shot.

"Merely to offer you something," she said, sauntering closer to his rigid form. "Something, I think, even better than that Wollo can."

"She is none of your concern," he replied, eyes narrowing in unmistakeable anger. "I already have someone to keep my chambers in order."

"Sure you do," she chuckled. "Don't try the coy approach with me, I know why you have her there."

"Think what you want, Chilla," Lisker said, his voice growing several degrees colder. She found herself becoming grudgingly impressed. "On that note, I could say I know how you managed to gain Grune's confidence." Chilla's cheek gave an involuntary twitch at his verbal barb. She decided to try another tactic.

"That monkey who gave Grune his report seemed alarmed," she began, "saying that at least forty weapons were missing from the ammo dumps on the ships."

"Forty. Hell, Chilla, the only reason he got to twenty is because those damn apes don't wear shoes."

"All right, I'll give that one to you," she replied around a genuine chuckle.

"I don't know about you, but I wouldn't trust anything those incompetents say. After all, the Mutants have a human, a Lunattak, and a Thunderian lording it over them. They've *got* to be hating that."

"What're you getting at?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't stash those weapons themselves. Just in case, like."

"Not like that'll matter," she replied with a silken smile. "Not to you, anyway."

"That's right," Lisker said. "It doesn't matter to me. Those cats will bring Guyver One. *That's* what matters to me." Lisker abruptly spun on his heel and walked out without another word.

You little PRICK! Chilla thought with a huff of breath which froze the floor in front of her. Spurn ME will you?! A Wollo bitch is good enough, but *I'M* not?! She brought her anger under control with some difficulty, breath coming in deep gasps and blood running hotter than she liked.

Obviously, it took more than simple seduction to sway Lisker. On thinking about it for a moment, Chilla couldn't help but be surprised. Regardless of species, and the little fact that survival wasn't a guarantee, men often proved unable to resist her body. Even the human men she'd taken by force had gotten into it once the... festivities... had started. This one was quite different. Chilla briefly toyed with the idea of freezing his precious Wollo to her very cell structure for turning her away and quickly discarded it. The last thing she needed was to end up on his shit list alongside the other Guyver. And that one had proven dangerous enough...

Tread carefully, Ice Queen, she thought, unconsciously using the name Alluro would use after sex. That one's a ticking time bomb, and you don't want him to go off on you.

FUCK! Lisker raged. It took all he had to maintain a calm outward appearance as he proceeded through what had been built of Fortress Plun-Darr. The Mutants which had been in charge of driving the slaves practically leapt out of his way, yet he barely noticed. He hadn't counted on them having any sort of inclination to keep detailed records. He'd known they'd notice some weapons missing, but so fucking soon?! DAMN IT!

Okay, time to plateau. You have a way around this. Lisker resisted the urge to touch the keycard in his rear pocket which had granted him access to what he needed. It would put even more on Maria, which Lisker did not want in the slightest, but now there was no getting around it.

Let's not forget Chilla, he thought with a barely repressed grimace. In turning her advance aside, he had just made an enemy he couldn't really afford. The power which had attracted her was now his only card against her. Whatever move she made against him would be well planned and executed. Lisker knew he'd have to watch carefully for her. How long would this mad three-way stalemate last? Hopefully, long enough for whatever grudges and agendas they all had to no longer matter.

After the tedium of having spent so much time riding in the ThunderTank, Sho didn't mind one bit the burning in his arms as he swung the pick into the wall. He worked as hard as his muscles allowed, then demanded more as he labored to harvest the Thundrillium the ThunderCats needed to mount the rescue operation that was being planned back at Cat's Lair. Lion-O, being Lord of the ThunderCats et al, needed to be in on every step, and had ridden back to the Tower with Cheetara just before Sho had descended into the new shaft.

"Now, this does seem familiar," Sho said as he gouged another chunk of rock away form the ore.

"Here's hoping this time it ends better," Bengali replied, running his hand over a stubborn layer of rock. "Might want to stand back a bit."

"Okay." Sho did so as Bengali pulled a hefty-looking sledge off of his back. The larger hammer was emblazoned with the ThunderCat symbol in the center of its handle, twin tiger heads atop the pommel bearing the hammer's ends from their roaring mouths. Bengali hefted the sledge with a confident hand before rearing back and bringing it down on the stone slab. The gunshot crack of exploding rock echoed loudly in the confines of the shaft as splinters shot clear from the crumbling mass.

"Sometimes, Sho," he said, turning about with a cocky grin on his face, "you just need to have a bigger hammer."

"Size does matter, I guess," he replied with a shake of his head. "Looks like you know how to use it, too. You've gotta be proud." The two of them snickered at the joke before resuming their work, chiselling and digging in the depths of Third Earth for the fuel they needed.

"I'm a blacksmith," Bengali said as he swung his pick once more. "You're bound to encounter a hammer or two in my line of work."

"Don't blacksmiths have a forge or something?"

"I do. It's in the lower levels of the Tower." A chunk of Thundrillium landed at Bengali's feet and the two of them stooped to retrieve it. "Mostly, I repair and forge armor for our vehicles. Even fixed the Sword of Omens once," he added with a hint of pride.

"Guess you've had a load of work lately," Sho said once the ore was added to the pile in the cart.

"Nothing I can't handle." The two of them set to work again and after a moment's labor, Sho realized that the chunk of ore he was working around was quite a bit larger than he had thought. "Maybe you could take it up," Bengali suggested as Sho swung again.

"Huh? Being a blacksmith?"

"Sure," the ThunderCat replied. "It's an honest trade, and you'll never be out of work. Besides, it'll toughen you up in no time."

"I guess," Sho said at length. "Can't hurt to work with my hands some more. But, who's gonna teach me?"

"In case you weren't paying attention, I *am* a blacksmith."

"Oh. Yeah. Right. Brain fart."

"Brain WHAT?!"

"Sorry!" Sho yelped, embarrassed. "It means I wasn't thinking. Man, I've gotta be more careful with..."

"PSSHGGGKK... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Bengali?"

"Oh... Oh, wow, kid, I've gotta use that one sometime!"

"Feel free," Sho said with a smile before chipping away at the stone once more. More and more of the Thundrillium was exposed as he worked away at the rock to reveal a sample of ore that seemed to be loosening at last.

"What's going on down here?" Panthro asked as he drew near. Sho, who at this point had been trying to work it free with his hands, looked up as the Panther ambled over to him. "Say, that's a pretty nice haul you've got there!"

"If I can just get the damn thing out, I'll be accomplishing something," Sho growled as he wiggled the Thundrillium back and forth.

"Why don't you let me take over," Panthro said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Sho hesitated for a brief moment before realizing the truth.

"Hope you have better luck..." Sho faltered as Panthro gripped the ore and with a growl pulled the large piece of Thundrillium free. "... than I did..." He stared in amazement as Panthro then walked the ore to the waiting cart, which bounced on its suspension when the Thundrillium was dropped into it.

"You're not the only strong one around here," Panthro said with a grin. "Looks like you're full up. Better get this topside."

"Uh... sure..." Sho engaged the powered wheels on the mine cart before looking back at Bengali. "Once this battle's won, I'll definitely take you up on that offer."

"Offer?" Panthro asked with a curious glance.

"I offered to train Sho as a blacksmith once the Mutant Army's dealt with," the Bengal replied. "I thought it wouldn't hurt for him to have a trade, something to do when he's not mining Thundrillium or blowing up people who want to kill us."

"Are you sure about that?" Panthro asked. "I'm no expert on the subject, but smithing isn't exactly an easy job."

"Neither's this," Bengali said, "but Sho took right to it. He's not a complainer, that's for sure." The Bengal returned to his work liberating another sample of ore.

"How much are you planning to teach him?" Panthro asked as he joined the effort. While Sho's help was appreciated, in his human form he simply lacked the strength of a Thunderian, and the harvest could proceed a bit faster without him swinging a pickaxe. However, it was all a part of Panthro's training regimen, and every pair of hands were welcome.

"What do you mean?"

"You're able to repair the Sword," Panthro explained. "I like the kid and all, but I don't want anything sensitive regarding our secrets getting out of ThunderCat hands... What's so funny?"

"No need to worry, Panthro," Bengali said once he was done chortling. "It doesn't matter how much I teach him. Sho'll never have a full knowledge of how the Sword of Omens works."

"Care to elaborate on that?"

"I don't really know how it works, either," Bengali explained, freeing another piece of ore and lobbing the fist-sized bit into another waiting cart with a deft no-look toss. "The only ones with any clue to that are Lion-O and Jaga. The Sword's power rests in the Eye of Thundera."

"You talk like I didn't know that already," Panthro replied, becoming slightly annoyed.

"The blade is only a conduit for the Eye's power. The alloys it's made from are unique, but still metal. The Eye is what really forms and shapes it, the smith just does the physical labor. It can even incorporate foreign metals, no matter how inferior, into the blade and re-form them into what it needs."

"I see." Panthro'd had no clue about any of that, and made no effort to hide his surprise.

"Hey, you said it yourself. You're no expert on the subject."

"Okay, okay," he replied with a small smile. "Don't let your head get *too* big over this."

"I won't." The two of them returned to work, the purpose of them being there ever present in their minds.

Sho emerged into the daylight and briefly wondered why there were so damn many desert regions now. The area of the continent they were currently in had tended to be a tad dry, he knew, but the nastier deserts were... where?... Yeah, he thought, farther southwest. Just what the hell happened while he'd been asleep, anyway?

He followed the tracks to the waiting hopper, an enormous cylinder atop a sturdy trailer hooked to the rear of the ThunderTank, and the crane setup which Lynx-O stood ready beside. Sho did not question the wisdom of having the blind ThunderCat operating the mechanism. He'd seen Lynx-O in action and knew that his blindness was far from the handicap it would have been for a human during Second Earth.

"Just there, Sho, thank you."

"No problem." Sho came to a halt just when the rumble of the crane started and the boom moved into position. He stood aside as the grapple swung down and siezed the cart and Lynx-O maneuvered it over the open port of the hopper. The bottom of the cart swung open at the front to allow the Thundrillium to freefall into the hopper with a hollow echo. "Sounds like we'll be here for awhile."

"Indeed. I have just received word that WilyKat and WilyKit are on their way to render assistance."

"Sounds good. I'll head back down, then."

Weary and frustrated, Lisker entered his quarters with teeth hurting from constant grinding. He did not know why he had returned here with the sun only just beginning to set. Further preparations were too dangerous, now, and he had all in all nothing else to do. The other slaves were penned and subdued, there was no need to watch over them. He sat on the hard bench - whomever had been here before obviously hadn't been big on furnishings - and moved to stretch out when sudden movement registered in the corner of his eye and only his experienced mind kept him from lashing out at what he knew to be Maria. She sat quickly, guiding his head into her soft lap and Lisker did not resist. Already, he could feel the tension of the day begin to bleed from him.

"You are back early," she said, stroking his flaxen hair lovingly. "I am not complaining." She looked down at him, an expression of concern creasing her features. "You are angry."

"No. Well, yeah. Not with you, don't worry." He flinched a little inside at the relief he saw in her eyes.

"What is wrong, then?" Lisker stretched his legs out and caught himself pressing his head into her lap. God, how long had it been since a woman had offered him any kind of succor like this? Not since his mother, he knew, and the number of years between his boyhood and now still made him blanch.

"Change of plans," he said, reaching up to carress Maria's cheek. "I didn't want to do anything like this, but I've got no choice." Lisker reached behind him into his back pocket and pulled free the keycard. "I hate to put even more on you, Maria, but..."

"Tell me what has happened."

"The Mutants think something's up," he replied, the rythm of her hand atop his head soothing his abraded nerves like the most expensive top shelf booze on Second Earth never had. "I can't make any more preparations now."

"Is what you've done enough?" Lisker didn't need to even pretend to consider his answer.

"No." Maria's face fell at that one word.

"Then, there is no chance?"

"There's a chance," he said, taking her free hand and placing the card in it. "Keep that with what I gave you. The Thunderians have to know where the armory on this ship is. It's nowhere near what I wanted to set up, but I have to cut my losses and hope for the best."

"I am to give this to them, then. I understand."

"I'm sorry to put so much on you..." Lisker stiffened slightly when she bent down to kiss him softly.

"I am strong enough for this," she said, "because of you." Her hands stroked his cheeks lovingly, and Lisker found himself torn between his emotions and his reason. "I never would have found this courage if you had not been here."

"You should never have been here at all," he said regretfully.

"I am, as are you. That is said and done."

"I never would have thought I'd find someone like you, Maria," Lisker said, ignoring the conflict in his own mind. Maneuvering or honesty? Affection or seduction? Lisker did not know for sure and honestly did not care at that point. What they felt was what they felt, pure and simple. He was not surprised when her hand ran down his firm chest.

He loves me, Maria thought, seeing the emotion among the turmoil in his blue eyes. He is torn, but he loves me. His statement about the plan bothered her, but not overly much. She knew inside that she could carry out her role in the liberation of all those enslaved in this hell.

Even here, though, she had found a piece of Heaven in Lisker's arms. She kissed him once more, revelling in the raging feelings the contact of their lips sparked in her heart and mind. They broke after several moments, both breathing more heavily than before.

"Just as I can do what you wish of me," Maria began, her voice becoming husky, "you can begin again once this is over."

"Maria..."

"I want to be there with you, Lisker, every step of the way. You do not need to be alone on Third Earth."

"I know you do."

"You do not wish me to?"

"I... I do, but..."

"Our love may be forbidden," she said, "but it is no less real for that. I. Love. You. That is all I need."

"You need more than that. What kind of life could I give you?"

"One in which I can choose," Maria replied before she could stop herself. Lisker's gaze became puzzled, curious as he asked what she meant. "My father was trying to arrange a marriage for me before this happened."

"And the guy he was looking at didn't do it for you, huh?"

"That... is one way of putting it." Maria couldn't help but smile at his phrasing. "It was one I did not love, but that did not matter. So long as I had a husband and children, my family would have been happy."

"If they knew about us..." he began, his face darkening.

"Yes. I would be cast out."

"Damn. Maria, I'm..."

"Don't apologize. I am happy with my choice."

"You could always tell them I raped you."

"Don't even think that! Besides, we Wollos are known as horrible liars. My father would see through it. Then what would happen?"

"You really love me that much." It was not a question, she knew. It was an expression of amazement.

"Haven't I said as much?" Maria replied.

"More than said it," Lisker said with a lopsided grin that made her blush furiously beneath her downy coat. "We'll just have to play it by ear."

"Thank you," Maria said, tears of joy welling in her eyes.

"No tears," Lisker said, reaching up to wipe them away. "I never liked to see a woman cry." They remained there, her stroking his hair as though he were a disquieted child for an indeterminable length of time while the light of the sun faded from view and the spartan room became shaded in gray and then in deeper shades of violet on their way to black.

Reason, the one thing which had served him so well on his rise within Kronos, fled before the tide of emotion which Maria's stroking hand atop his head brought forth. Lisker found himself thinking back on his life as Maira's hand carressed his hair lovingly. So much he had seen and done, and yet he felt only emptiness at all he had seen.

His childhood in the suburbs of Chicago had been unremarkable, at least in comparison with his life as a man. From high school, he had enlisted in the Marines with the goal of paying for college, Yale if he could swing it, or maybe Brown. One year in, a PFC Lisker, Oswald Arthur, met a commandant named Richardson. At the time, he'd thought it odd as hell (and more than a little intimidating) that someone of such lofty rank would bother noticing a mere enlisted grunt like him and had found himself whisked into the world of covert ops.

Being a good Marine, Lisker had performed duties that never officially happened in places that, if all went well, were never mentioned on the nightly news. He'd seen death and destruction in all its forms, men he'd shared chow with that morning being turned into chunks of wet meat by nightfall in jungles that crawled with life that would happily feed on living soldiers as well as dead. Warlords, tin Hitlers who murdered the innocent in the name of revolution and incidentally had crossed the wrong REMFs in the American military's Black Ops divisions, fell to his gun before a well-concealed land mine felled him. Lisker, to this day so far away, still shuddered at the sight of his own fucking legs lying twenty feet in either direction of his head.

He had awakened an undetermined stretch later in a sterile while room, certain that the wheelchair was calling him. He could still feel limbs below his waist, shadow pains that his brain used to fool itself into thinking the body was still whole, but looking down to see them still firmly attached had slanted his mind at an angle from which it had never fully recovered.

("Surprised?")

Lisker had jerked to the left at the sight of Commandant Richardson, skin darker than the night and voice as deep as the mighty Grand Canyon, standing amid various equipment whose quiet noises indicated that he was indeed still alive when by all rights he should not be.

("This ain't the VA. Far as the USMC is concerned, you died during routine maneuvers. Condolences later, Sergeant.")

("What the hell is this?!")

Richardson hadn't answered right away, merely telling him that Lisker would be presented the opportunity of a lifetime. After recovery, Oswald Lisker learned about the organization Kronos, whose bio-engineering mastery had not only pulled him from the grave, but made him whole again in the process. He'd risen through the executive training courses quickly, as well as the academic regimen at Harvard University of all places.

Kronos had given him life anew, and a purpose for that life, which he served with dedication. He'd had to maneuver both with and against peers, colleagues, and superiors, and had even been granted the priviledge of delivering a quarterly research analysis before one of the Ruling Twelve, one named Prug'Shutahl. His ultimate goal, before bonding with the Guyver, had been a seat on that council and the power of a Zoalord which he'd heard of but had never seen.

On receiving notice that he'd been selected as a candidate for optimization into one of the Elites, a Hyper Zoanoid, Lisker had found himself reporting to Relics Point and encountering the another of the Twelve, Halmical Valkus. The top scientist and second in command of the entire Kronos cabal, the Zoalord had completely cowed him. During the examination to determine how best to optimize him, Lisker had been asked about his ultimate aim in Kronos. On revealing that he wished to be a Zoalord, Valkus had shot him a look so severe as to make his throat become instantly parched and told him not to let his reach exceed his grasp.

("Don't let your alligator mouth land your canary ass in trouble.")

That had been one of his father's favortie aphorisms, especially when he'd been in his cups, along with the ever-popular one about bars having sawdust on the floor for a reason.

He'd been rotated back to the New York branch to await Valkus' summons only to be sent back to Japan eight weeks later for an inspection of the Tokyo branch and an investigation into gross incompetence in management. Genzo Makashima hadn't been happy to see his gaijin ass, and Lisker had taken amusement from that. Afterward, he'd activated the recovered Guyver Unit and had been secretely releived that he'd been spared optimization. Zoanoids, despite their power, had been as a rule ugly as homemade sin. Then, in his hubris, he sought out the other activated Guyver, and there fortune had sided against him once more.

Lisker opened his eyes to see Maria leaning back against the hard bench, her eyes closed in light slumber. Once again, he was returned to the world of the living, and once again a new life was his. There was no Kronos, no Zoanoids, no politics to deal with.

There was, however, Guyver One, Sho Fukamachi. There was also a cabal of which he was a part, the Mutant Army.

There is, he reflected, something different this time. Lisker traced his hand up the front of Maria's jacket (he could no longer think of it as his) and her eyes fluttered open when his fingers lightly ran across her right breast. She smiled warmly as the hand traced the side of her downy throat to rest atop her cheek.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Didn't mean to. Your legs have got to be numb by now."

"They are fine," she replied with a shake of her head. Lisker cocked an eyebrow at her statement.

"You're right. Wollos really are terrible liars."

"I told you so," Maria said, sticking her tongue out briefly. Lisker rose from the bench and offered his hand to her. Maria accepted and gingerly stood, leaning against him while the blood flow to her legs returned to normal. He had never in his adult life been comforted so, and the realization of that shook him deeply. Never would he have ever thought he'd find such warmth and affection from a woman who wasn't human. Hell, he had given up on finding it from human women a long time ago. "If you like," Maria began, and the anxious lilt in her words brought him up short, "I can... become more acceptable to you."

"Huh?" Lisker returned, confused.

"I can... remove my coat." Lisker paused before answering, realizing she did not mean her jacket.

"Don't."

"It does not get in the way?"

"Not really." Lisker embraced her, remembering the feel of her downy body against his. "That's a part of you, Maria. You shouldn't do something so drastic to yourself just over how you feel."

"Thank you." They stood there in the deepening darkness, holding each other as the night grew deeper. "We really should get to bed soon." Lisker obliged her, lifting Maria into his arms and carrying her into the bedchamber in the same manner as he had the night before. The lights still out, Lisker collapsed onto the hard surface with Maria atop him and his arms around her. He brought her up the length of his torso and kissed her as warmly as he could.

"Thank you," he said, uncaring where those words came from.

"I don't really wish to ask this..."

"Ask me."

"What if the Mutants find out your plan before the ThunderCats get here?"

"I've already thought about that," Lisker replied, reaching up the back of her jacket to stroke her bare back. "If that happens, I'll level this place myself."

"Why haven't you?"

"I guess you could call it politics."

"What?"

"It's like this," Lisker said, his remaining hand stroking her hair. Maria shivered at his touch, a small moan escaping her lips. "If the ThunderCats get here in time, they'll be able to deflect enough of the Mutant's firepower for me to ensure that everyone can escape. If I have to do it alone..."

"Then many could die."

"Exactly. Even with the preparations I've made, I'd still be facing about a couple thousand Mutants alone. I could do it, no problem, but I couldn't protect everyone. I couldn't protect you."

"You're doing all this for my sake?"

"Not entirely. Hell, I can't even explain all of it to myself. I want all of the slaves here to be free. And... Maria, I want you to be with me." It was true, and Lisker could not divine why.

"I want to be with you, too. We can be together once this is over. And we will."

"One hell of a pair we make, eh?"

"But a pair, nonetheless." Lisker relaxed into her embrace as their lips met yet again and the physical repsonses became more intense. "I want you."

"Same here."

"What are we waiting for?"

"I have no idea," he said as Maria doffed her jacket yet again and the heat between them built.

"There is more to this than sex," Maria said as she nibbled his throat and sent heat throughtout his frame.

"I gotta admit, it is good." She nuzzled his throat, then, sending waves of delicious heat through him. "You will be free of this place."

"I know. I know you will do all in your power to make it happen."

"Good." Maria's lips found his again, and he could not hide his physical reaction this time. Clothes and inhibitions were cast to the winds as two star-crossed lovers realized their forbidden passions, uncaring about the traditions of their peoples. From that moment on, Lisker realized, they were forever joined on a level beyond the merely physical. No one, he swore, would tear them apart, and Oswald felt his own Guyver respond to that oath as he took her once more.

Whoa! Sho thought, staggering at the intense emotions which assailed his mind from a point he knew to be far distant yet felt as though it were next to him. He steadied the tray bearing the covered dish in his hands, breath coming ragged into his lungs and charging his weary muscles. Urgently, he pulled himself out of the maelstrom of pleasure and wrapped the psychic shielding of the Guyver about his vulnerable core. Whatever Lisker was up to, he was sure as hell enjoying it and Sho wanted no part of it. He was in no position to help whomever Guyver Two was tormenting...

It's not that, he realized as he began to walk to the infirmary again with Myrlha's dinner. It was love. Real love?! From LISKER?! What the hell? Sho commanded himself not to think about it, to put it as far from his mind as possible. He would meet Guyver Two again soon enough, and thinking about him wouldn't make the wait any easier. By the time he reached the infirmary, his mind had returned to a state of somewhat weary calm. The doors slid open and the place he was all too familiar with greeted him.

Myrlha looked up from the book Lady Pumyra had brought for her, a tome of history from Sir Tygra's collection which was dry as the desert yet thankfully diverting as the footfalls drew nearer. The sight of him was surprising, short and lacking any trace of feline heritage. His mop of black hair hung down to his shoulders, twin bangs framing a kind face from which a pair of gentle blue eyes took her in. The blue one-piece fit him well, showing off whipcord muscles which drew her gaze. He looked good in traditional Thunderian garb, that was for sure.

"Hi, Myrlha," he said, setting the tray on the table by her bed and fetching a chair for him to sit in. He was the first human she'd ever seen up close and, despite the obvious differences, his form was rather similar to Thunderian.

"Sho, right?"

"That's me. You're looking a lot better than the last time we met."

"You're the Guyver?"

"Uh-huh. I brought dinner. Obviously, right? Sorry, small talk isn't something I'm good at." Myrlha found herself smiling at his obvious nervousness.

"I thought you'd be..." She gesticulated helplessly as he sat next to her bed and brought the tray over her.

"Taller?"

"I was looking for a euphemism, but yeah."

"I'm a lot bigger in my transformed state," Sho replied. "You must be famished. Eat up. Snarf put his best into this."

"This is great!" she exclaimed, eating with gusto. "What is it?" she asked on finishing.

"Snarf calls it 'Meatfruit Stir-Fry'," Sho replied.

"Meat... Fruit?"

"Don't ask me," Sho replied with a shrug. "It's really good, that's all I know. Meatfruit's something Berbils grow."

"Salvador told me about Berbils," Myrlha said, leaning back against the inclined bed with a satisfied groan. "He told me much about this Third Earth."

"It's... a pretty weird place all in all."

"Even to you?" she asked, puzzled. "Isn't this your world?"

"Not really," Sho said with a shake of his head. "The world I knew is usually called Second Earth." Myrlha noticed the slightly haunted look in his eyes at that statement. "This Third Earth... let's just say it's a hell of a lot different from any place I've ever known."

"I think we can both say that," Myrlha said and both chuckled in wry amusement, yet that haunted look in the human's eyes barely diminished.

"We know where the Mutant Army is, now, thanks to you," Sho said, and those deep blue orbs became determined. "We're getting ready to raid the hell out of them."

"I have..."

"We're gonna need the information you have. Thank you for risking so much."

"For my countrymen," she said, pride lending her voice depth. "Will you be fighting, too?"

"Oh, yes." Sho stiffened, she noticed. "I swore to help the ThunderCats through this mess, and I'm gonna uphold that."

"You do know there's another one like you holding everyone in chains?"

"Yeah. He's *my* problem. Don't worry, Myrlha," Sho said, hesitantly reaching to grasp her hand in his. "Everyone being held there is coming home."

"I'm sure of it, Sho," she replied, clasping his fingers in hers. She wasn't even aware of doing so at first, and marvelled at how right his hand felt in hers. "I never got to..."

"You don't have to," he said, grinning. "I'm just glad you and Salvador made it here."

"We wouldn't have, if not for you."

"Any idea what that huge snake was?"

"Salvador said it was a bone serpent. He didn't know any were still alive in Darkside. To be honest, I was amazed at how you held it off."

"I can be pretty tough when I have to be," Sho said, a hand behind his head and an embarrassed flush on his face. "Pumyra told me you're responding well. To the treatment, I mean."

"Thankfully. She's a great healer."

"Don't I know it," Sho replied. "She's saved my life a time or two."

"Really?"

"If I spend much more time in here, I think she'll start charging me rent."

"And since you don't have any money," Pumyra's voice said as the healer came into view, "you'd be in a world of trouble, Sho."

"GAH!" Sho yelped, leaping clear of his chair and incidentally removing his hand from Myrlha's. For a moment, she found herself missing its presence.

"I see you two are getting on well," she remarked, her eyes shifting to Myrlha's now-empty hand.

"Well... that is... ah... I wanted to check on her, and..."

"It's fine, Sho, really," Pumyra said, smiling at the flabbergasted human.

"I'll just... I'll get out of your way, yeah, um, take care, Myrlha..."

"You, too." Myrlha smiled as, now done stammering, Sho made his uncertain way out of the infirmary. "He's an unusual one," she remarked as Lady Pumyra began the familiar procedure of checking her vital signs.

"He can be," the healer said. "Getting better all the time, Myrlha. I think you'll be able to address the Council as early as tomorrow."

"I can hardly wait," Myrlha said.

"Well, I'm afraid you'll have to, until tomorrow."

"Can you bring me some paper and a pen, maybe?"

"Sure, but why?"

"Before our escape, the architect among us, Selwyn, showed me the plans he drafted for Fortress Plun-Darr. I had to commit them to memory, since Salvador and I had to travel so lightly. I'll need to put it to paper before tomorrow."

"That'll be a huge help," Pumyra replied. "I'll see to it right away."

"Thank you." Minutes later, Myrlha began to apply her memories to paper careful to leave no detail of Selwyn's plans out. With each line drawn, she could imagine one more of her countrymen freed from slavery, one more Mutant laid low, one more back no longer forced to bend to their hideous whips.

The ThunderCats would free them, of that there was absolutely no doubt in Myrlha's mind. Sho, small as he was, would fight for all he was worth beside them. Given what she had seen of his abilities as the Guyver, that would be no small contribution, either. Her thoughts drifted back to him periodically, and Myrlha had to force herself back to the task at hand. She reviewed her work repeatedly, searching for any detail misplaced or omitted. She was not an aritst, but she'd always been blessed with a photographic memory which once again stood her in good stead as Selwyn's plans were replicated so many miles and days from the man himself. Hours later, tired and satisfied with her efforts, Myrlha placed the sketchpad on the table and pushed it aside.

She looked down at her right hand, which Sho had held in assurance. How long had it been since anyone had shown her such a simple kindness? A soft grin spread across Myrlha's lips at the memory of his un-clawed hand in hers with a slight flush coloring her cheeks.

(Everyone being held there is coming home...)

His words replayed themselves as she clenched her hand and held it to her chest. Home. Stars above, that was a word she never thought she'd hear again. A home for her people. A place where they could all be safe.

(I can be pretty tough when I have to be...)

As slumber slowly claimed her, she recalled how Sho halted the bone serpent's ferocious assault with so little effort. Even though he wasn't Thunderian, he was doing his best to live according to the Code. With power like his, Myrlha couldn't help but be grateful for that.

Night faded seamlessly into dream, a place where Thundera still stood as a jewel in the heavens and the members of her troupe lived on. He was there as well, watching her dance from the front row, his human visage strangely not out of place among her kind.

In the Next Episode

At long last, the details of the Mutant Army's strength are known, and a plan for liberation is made. The secondary purpose of the ThunderStrike is revealed as Panthro's engineering skills are put to the test in adapting the three-sectioned vehicle to the back of the Feliner and Turmagar's forces assemble at the Tower. Tense waiting at the site of the unfinished Fortress Plun-Darr drives Grune to re-evaluate his alliance with Chilla and attempt to strengthen an alliance with Lisker. Guyver Two continues his protection of Maria as the unlikely couple's bond grows deeper still while the unnoticed arrival of a strange satellite above the atmopshere of Third Earth signals a new player's hand in the game. Who is it, and what is its purpose? Only time will tell, along with the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	24. Preparations for War

ThunderCats used without permission

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver used without permission

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode 24

Preparations: Fortress Plun-Darr

To think, Grune mused, that it would end like this. He drew the second flask of Kirgash as Chilla took her traditional seat on the lone window's ledge with all her glory exposed to anyone who wished to see. Despite her voluptuous curves, it was a sight he'd had quite enough of. Particularly in light of her attempted maneouver against him.

"Good for you, too?" he asked idly as he drew the two drinks and carried them over to the naked Lunattak.

"Earth shaking," she replied with a wink before accepting the offered flask. "No one's ever done me that hard."

"So glad you enjoyed it." Especially since it's your last, Grune thought. "Even so, I'm concerned about your conversation with Lisker."

"Just making sure he's truly on our side," she said languidly, draping an arm about his shoulders after he sat close to her. Not much longer now...

"Lisker, I believe, is on his own side. Much as you are. Or, should I say, were?" He smiled as the arm she'd draped about his torso slackened. Grune rose from the sill as the feeling bled from Chilla's nude frame. "Enjoying your drink?" he asked with some amusement as he reached down to scoop Chilla's unresponsive form in his arms. "I truly hope so. After all, gleaning this herbal cocktail from the Warrior Maidens had taken some time. I may use it on Lion-O, now that I think on it."

"Ba... ... ..." The toxin did its work quickly, robbing Chilla of even speech as the flask of tainted brew fell from her limp hand to clatter on the hard floor. Quickly, Grune caught her before the Lunattak could join her poisoned drink with a beefy arm across her exposed chest.

"Don't be too surprised," he said, deliberately keeping his tone patronizing. "I can spot betrayal very easily. After all, if the Code of Thundera could screw me over why wouldn't you?" Grune began to stroke her platinum hair, rocking her immoble form back and forth as he continued his verbal torture. "I must admit, I have to admire that human for shutting you down so hard. Then again, maybe that Wollo is just an incredible lay. Who's to say with him? Even in my first life on this mudball I never understood humans."

Chilla was helpless to even express the incredible rage at Grune having betrayed her before she could have done the same to him. Her entire form was incapable of moving, of even registering tactile sensation and the tirade of vitriol jammed in her throat so thick she felt as if she should surely choke unless she could so much as move her lips.

"I don't handle being double-crossed very well," Grune went on, cupping her chin and forcing her eyes to meet his. Those slitted orbs into his mad soul were glowing with an eerie luminescence which, even in her drugged state, drove a dagger of terror into her heart. "You weren't here for my first demonstration of that, and more is the pity. Ah, well," at this he shrugged as though he were merely ordering breakfast at an inn rather than building up to ending her life, "I suppose you'll just have to serve as another example. However, unlike that worthless Scavenger I disposed of, you present some interesting possibilities."

Chilla's heart began to race at the implications clear in Grune's words. Clearly, it wasn't enough for him to simply murder her, oh, no. Desperately, her mind continued to race in search of a way out of this predicament. Unlike her mind, her body remained unable to act upon any opportunity which might present itself.

I haven't drank much of that gunk, she thought. If I can somehow keep him talking...

Grune still held her head aloft, and she made every effort to make her gaze helpless and pleading. If she could recover enough to summon her freezing breath, she could escape! Then, command of the Mutant Army would go to her. Chilla cared little for the latter, and the former demanded every possible effort on her part.

Grune couldn't help but enjoy the hell out of this little game. He knew exactly what Chilla was thinking, and found himself greatly amused by playing along, teasing her with hope the way some Wollos would encourage a stubborn donkey by dangling a carrot before it tethered to a stick. The image nearly made him chuckle.

"Jackalman's death was so quick as to be disappointing. Maybe I should give you to the Mutants?" Real fear shone in her eyes at that statement. "I may have to bind you for that, though. I have no idea how long you'll last, perhaps until the toxin wears off, perhaps not. Either way, you'll still be dead. Trust me, when it comes to death by gang-rape you won't find many more enthusiastic than Mutants." He paused, pretending to consider again. He'd already decided her fate, but stringing her along like this was more fun than having sex with her. And, he mused, that was certainly saying something. "I may just keep you among the slaves? Or, hell, I just might keep you for myself. That breath of yours is nothing a good muzzle couldn't fix." With that, Grune gently cradled her about the waist with one arm before turning her to face the window.

NO! Chilla thought, realizing exactly what he had been planning. NOnononononoNOOOO! Silently, she watched in growing horror as Grune unlatched the window and cast the frames open with a cavalier shove before hefting her in his arms as though carrying his bride over the threshold.

"I believe your friends are awaiting you in whatever hell is reserved for you Lunattak people. If it's any consolation," he continued as she stared in abject horror at the open portal, "you were the most fun I've had in centuries." Though she had no tactile sensation, she could still feel in her mind the open air greeting her and gravity pulling her relentlessly to the ground. Tears, the first she'd shed in years, fell from her eyes in evidence of her muted frustration and desperate fear as the ground, raced...

There's that done, Grune thought as his sharp hearing distinctly picked up the sickening crunch of his former lover slamming into the earth so far below the highest constructed window of Fortress Plun-Darr.

No, he thought, lover's not the right word. Acquaintance. Not that it matters anymore. Now, his only concern was Lisker, but that could wait for the moment. He still needed Guyver Two for the coming attack.

"Son of a bitch," Lisker muttered from the shadow cast by the boxy structure of Slave Pen One in the growing light. He had traced Chilla's descent from the moment the light glinted off of Grune's window in the fortress. The sound of her body slamming into the ground at what had to be close to terminal velocity was one that he would not soon forget. He felt no sadness at her demise, however, not a trace of sympathy. She paid her money, she took her chances. The dry soil was already soaking up her blood as if taking sustenance from the blue-black fluid. He found it odd, however, how she seemed not to resist and hadn't at least screamed on her way down.

"Must've doped her," he muttered before snippets of muttered conversation from his left drew his attention.

"Fuck me running," Apelar said to Grothis as they and two Reptillians beheld the sight of Chilla's corpse lying smashed into a pulp on the dirt. "When he says it's over, he doesn't fuck around..."

"You'd almost think that Grune's a Mutant," Grothis replied, scratching his tawny muzzle. "I could see Primor doing that easily."

"And if he isss willing to so casually ssslaughter hiss own lover," one Reptillian whose name was Hriss added, "what'ssss to ssstop him from doing the sssame to uss?"

"Do you always have to hiss when you talk?" Apelar growled in annoyance.

"He's right, you know," the Scavenger Grothis said quickly, cutting off a fight before it could begin. "Maybe Jackalman had a good idea way back then."

"And that isss?" the other Reptillian, Garru, asked.

"All we have to do is take the ships," Grothis replied. "I know Primor had a system in place on the Ravager that would slave the master computers of the Starsweeper, Pillager, and Bludgeon to the computer on the flagship."

"You know the access codes to that?" Apelar asked, eyes wide at the possibility.

"No. Primor kept those like his balls."

"Then, what'sss the point of mentioning thisss?!" Hriss demanded.

"Primor had a concubine, a favortie among the cats," Grothis explained, the plan seeming to tumble into his mind of its own accord. "Real hot number he made sure was taken care of. Good thing for her, Primor liked to play rough."

"You think he gave her the codes?" Apelar asked, dumbfounded. "You take a knock on the head, Grothis?"

"She stayed in his quarters a bunch of times. Who's to say she didn't suss the codes out somehow? Something to hold on to in case a chance to get away came up?"

"I can sssee that," Garru said at length. "What'sss your point?"

"We gotta keep this quiet, real low-key like. Got it?"

"Just get to it, Grothis."

"We get her... Dammit, what was her name? La... Le... Laheela, yeah, that's it. We grab her, make her striped ass talk, then we lit off with the ships and blow this dustbowl. Not like there's anything here worth conquering anyway."

"What about the ThunderCats?" asked Apelar. "Plun-Darr High Command'll want to know why the hell we bailed without making sure they were under our thrusters at takeoff."

"We're a Marauder group," Grothis explained, becoming irritated with all the questions. "Remember that? We're not part of the Plun-Darr military. We're a private enterprise, and a law unto ourselves outside Plun-Darr space. We just delete all records of Third Earth from the computers and nobody'll give a shit about what happened to Primor."

"We ssspread the word, then," Hriss added, "get our forces ready, and bail."

"Grune can't stop us, not with that Dyme monster missing." None of the Mutants had been informed of what purpose Dyme had been summoned away on, and none had any way of knowing that he would never return. "That leaves that fucking punk, Lisker."

"He doesn't care about the ThunderCats," Apelar added, "just that blue Guyver. And the Wollo he's been banging."

"Once we get spaceborne," Garru said, "we can bomb this place and the last stronghold of the ThunderCats from orbit. We can take what's left and get back to more profitable pursuitsss."

"What of the slavesss?" Hriss asked.

"What of them?" Grothis returned. "One thing about slaves, it's easy to get more. Been tired of these cats stinkin' up our ships for awhile, now. Beatin' 'em's getting old, ya know?"

"We can't let Lisker see us make off with her," Apelar said, looking about as if saying the human's name would magically summon him. "He might still be on the Ravager, but..."

"Hriss, you make sure if he's there or not."

"Why ssshould I do it?!"

"Why not? You just tell us if he's in his quarters. If he is, we go ahead with this. We can use the Ravager's holding area on deck ten. Nice and soundproofed."

"Ironic, that," Apelar said with a shake of his head. "We all in on this?"

"Yesss..."

Oh, shit, Lisker thought as he lightly ran toward the Ravager. He had to get there before that lizard did. His plan depended on the desperate countermeasure he had to implement and time had just gotten damn short.

Hriss trudged along the corridor, his tail sliding along the floor making a sound much like his own plissives when he spoke, a soft hiss. It was a trait among all Reptillians, and Apelar's making light of it still stung. Still and all, Grothis' plan was a good one and Hriss was all for putting as many light-years between his own scaled ass and Third Earth as possible and as soon as possible.

He'd better be in there, the Mutant silently groused as his bare feet carried him along the cold metals which comprised the Ravager's inner construction. If Lisker's location could not be determined, then this little scheme would have to be called off until later. In all honesty, Hriss thought that this should wait until nightfall, but Grune was known to be up and about late into the night and there was no way they could let him tumble onto what they were doing. That Chilla woman wasn't around to keep his nights occupied any longer, after all. Simply bringing him one of the slaves wasn't a guarantee that he would take her, or, that he wouldn't simply kill whomever brought her to him.

Not enough to cast her aside, Hriss thought, but out the damn window! If that Grune wasn't a Thunderian, I could get to like him! The doorway into Lisker's quarters came into view and the noise almost immediately set his nerves at ease.

From behind the door came a female's cries of passion, loud and strident as the Wollo was being taken. He almost opened the lone viewport set into the door when a loud and shrill "LISSSKERRR!" sounded from the other side followed by the inarticulate cries of her reaching what sounded like a heart-stopping climax.

"Guy just can't get enough, can he?!" Hriss muttered under his breath as the Wollo woman continued to cry out and moan. "Sounds like he knows what he's doin' at least." With that, Hriss hurried away from the door as fast as his thick legs would carry him, not wishing to hear those two rutting any longer. When out of earshot, he engaged his communicator.

"It's a go," he said simply before heading toward deck ten and the holding area. Time for some fun of his own...

Apelar, Grothis, and Garru each exchanged a quick look before striding to the front entrance of Slave Pen Two. The sun rose ever higher, yet the temperatures failed to climb as high as when they had first landed. This planet's winter was coming, and none of the three wanted to be around long enough to experience it. The two Scavengers posted at the entrance looked at them disinterestedly, bored to tears with nothing to do and no reason why there were doing it.

"We're here for one," Grothis said. "Open up."

"Sure, whatever," the one on the right said, unlatching the bolt and sliding the door open along its track while the other readied his whip. He followed them in, and Apelar was the first to spot her.

Laheela sat on the hard cot, her dirty frame slumped like all of the other backs. Thunderian, Wollo, Brute Man, no spine straightened at their approach. They knew better by now. Resistance brought whips and blows that they would do better to avoid. She was clad in the outfit Primor had preferred her to wear when not servicing him, a white silk brassiere along with a thin gold belt whose two trails of fabric covered her sex and rear and met at the apex of her legs. It was a single piece of rather expensive fabric that Primor had gone to some lengths to obtain. What there was of her garments had become filthy, torn and ruined from having to labor with the workers and the other concubines since Grune had assumed control thanks to Dyme and Mumm-Ra.

"You." Her head rose, eyes hard and venomous. "Rise." Defiantly, she remained in place though still silent.

"You heard him!" the guard shouted, preparing his whip. The one to her right, a Panther male, placed his hand atop hers and simply shook his head. Laheela heaved a resigned sigh and complied. Shackles were placed on her wrists and the chain linking her leg irons to the floor was loosed. Garru stepped toward her and forced her jaw open to pry a bar between her teeth and clasped it behind her head. Hobbled and silenced, Apelar grasped the chain between her wrists and led her out into the day.

"That really necessary, Garru?" Grothis asked once they were clear of the pens, indicating Laheela's gag.

"Don't want her trying to get Lisker'sss attention once she getsss to the Ravager," the Reptillian replied.

"He's got something of a reputation among the slaves," Apelar agreed, slinging Laheela over his shoulder to expedite the transfer. "'Specially after the Wollo..."

"Yeah." Grothis had seen Lisker, in his Guyver form, reduce four Simians into piles of steaming meat in seconds for accosting her. "Hriss, is Lisker still in his quarters?" he asked into the comm on his gauntlet.

"From the sssounds I heard," the other Reptillian's voice replied, "he'sss gonna be in there for a while." Grothis needed no explanation, merely barking a laugh at the idea. Whatever that Wollo woman's charms, that human just couldn't seem to get enough. As far as he was concerned, that was just fine. It made this so much easier.

Hriss flinched slightly as the door to the holding area opened and the other three Mutants entered with a bound and gagged Thunderian. He engaged the single light they needed, the harsh glare reflecting off the metal as Apelar ambled over and deposited her on her feet. Less than a second later, he had looped one end of one of the ropes Hriss had secured through the links connecting her wrists and leapt up into the pipeworks above. Apelar used the rope as a pulley, snatching her wrists upward as Grothis secured the chain between her ankles to the grated floor. At the end of it, Laheela was stretched between ceiling and floor, unable to resist and mewling beneath the bar in her mouth. As far as he was concerned, all was well. He ducked into the shadows afforded by the light above her, securing the tool he thought they'd need.

"Laheela," Grothis began, absently stroking the exposed flesh of her abdomen, "we require your help."

"..."

"We need the access codes to slave the other ships to this one." Grothis noted with satisfaction the widening of her eyes. "I take it you know them, then?"

"NMM-MMM!"

"Don't lie to us, Laheela," Apelar added. "Primor isn't here to protect you anymore."

"NMMMM!" Laheela shook her head violently, the chains binding her rattling accordingly.

"You know them, yesss?" Hriss asked, bring his toy to bear. Laheela, he noticed, focused on it instantly with fear shining in her eyes. "Primor has used something similar to this. You know what it can do." Hriss savored her terrified whimper as he engaged the electrode and electricity arced from the sharp tip of the torture device.

"Keep this in mind," Grothis said, grabbing Laheela's jaw and forcing her eyes onto his own. "We're not Primor. We'll hurt you worse than he ever did. This isn't just pleasure for us."

"MMMmmm..."

"You should know what this is," Hriss said, brandishing the hilt bearing the long electrode at its tip. "This will fry your slave ass even at minimal setting. If you don't want its sting, you'll... GHHAKKK!..."

The other Mutants leapt back as the emerald beam severed Hriss' head from his shoudlers and the implement of torture clattered to the floor. The remaining three glanced at each other as the shadow separated itself from the gloom.

"You Mutants are slow learners," Lisker said as he stepped into the light. He kept his anger in check as his armored footfalls echoed in the confines of the holding cell. From each Mutant, bands of deep red indicating rage and fear radiated into the cool air of the holding area. He did not bother to waste any more breath, lunging forward to grasp and crush the throat of the jackal Mutant in less than a second while firing his head beam into the cranium of the monkey which had reached for a whip. The last Mutant, a reptile, stood frozen in place from terror. Lisker charged to it, slamming his fist into its sternum and sending it into the hard metal of the wall with the satisfying crunch of its spine shattering. Even without its ruined spinal cord, the shrapnel of its ribs shredding the heart was enough to end the Mutant's life in short order. With another quad of Mutants dead at his hands, and for the same reason as the last four, Lisker turned to look at their intended victim.

He could see the fear radiating off of her, much like Maria after he'd rescued her from a similar fate. Her cat-like eyes were wide as saucers, nostrils flaring with each terrified inhalation. He strode to her prone position, stopping to retrieve the implement of torture the first one had threatened her with.

"Easy," he said once her muffled voice began to cry out. Lisker casually studied the deivce, a simple electrode at the tip of a flexible rod connected to a handle. Barbaric. "You'll never feel this thing's sting again," he said, bending the supple rod to the breaking point and snapping it in two with a fat blue spark accompanying the cracking sound. He tossed the two halves of the shocking rod aside as he closed the distance between them. He could hear her cardiac rhythm increase as he reached for the chain linking her wrists and pulled them apart as easily as he'd destroyed the rod before gently setting her on the floor to repeat the procedure with her ankles.

"Mmmmm?"

"You can take that off, you know," Lisker said. Her ankles now free, he rose to see her removing the offensive bar from between her teeth. "What's your name?" She only stared at him, fearful and yet resigned. Lisker blew a frustrated sigh at her reaction to him, not to mention the danger his plan still faced. Grune would want to know why he'd killed more Mutants, not as if he really cared, and Lisker couldn't afford for the preparations he'd made to be discovered. "I won't hurt you, and neither will they. No one ever will again, I promise you." Still, she remained untalkative even as Lisker pried the shackles from her wrists and cast them aside. "Listen to me," he said, mind awhirl with chaotic notions regarding his plan and this latest complication. "You're safe now. Not just from these bastards, but from all of them. I have a safe place for you. Follow me." She continued to gaze up at his armored face before closing her eyes and nodding in supplication. Knowing that this was the best he would get, Lisker turned and guided her into the corridor. As they walked, he saw how she kept her head bowed, her shoulders slumped and hands clasped in front of her.

Conditioned reflex, he mused, recalling his psych training while persuing his education in the echelons of Kronos. Ingrained behaviors brought on by external stimuli. She was so used to being a slave, and judging from how submissive she appeared she'd had one *very* strict master, that these patterns would be tough to break.

"Lift your head up," he said gently. "You're not property, and I'm not your master. I'm going to help you." Hesitantly, the Thunderian obliged, facing forward yet still a half step behind him. It might work, he thought as they walked on. After all, it wasn't as if he could just hand her back to the pens, not after seeing what those four had planned for her. Another complication, and he had some smoothing over to do with Grune (which galled him completely) to ensure that his suspicions would not be aroused.

Finally, the door to his quarters came into view with a familiar shadow darkening the wall beyond. Grune came into view before he could deactivate the Guyver, and the Thunderian leader of the Mutant Army flinched back involutarily at the sight.

Conditioned reflex, Lisker thought briefly before hastily crafting his cover story. This performance had to be good, or he'd be forced into an even more difficult position. Killing Grune wasn't a part of his plan. Not yet, anyway.

"Grune," he stated simply, making sure not to stand between him and the unnamed Thunderian woman he'd rescued. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Why is another slave here?" he asked.

"I had one of the Mutants bring her here. He ended up needing a lesson in handling goods, unfortunately."

"Is that right?" Grune's raised eyebrow prompted Lisker to ready himself for another kill, one he didn't wish to make just yet.

"The jackal got a few of his friends together in the holds below, thought to have a little fun with her first. A mistake on their part, and one they won't repeat."

"In other words," Grune said around a sneer, "you killed them."

"Mutants are slow learners," he replied, keeping his voice offhanded.

"On that we agree," Grune said, nodding. "You're done with the Wollo?"

"No. I simply decided to expand my horizons, let's say." Lisker found that the words tasted vile in his mouth, even though the sonic orbs on his faceplate transmitted what he wanted to say without his lips so much as moving. This conversation wouldn't make winning her over any easier, that was certain, and a part of him wanted to kill Grune anyway for making him say these things.

(You truly are a good man, Lisker.)

Don't really feel like one right now, he thought.

"I can understand that," Grune said around a wry chuckle. "Besides, I really must commend your tastes. This one will be far more satisfying than a Wollo."

"Voice of experience?" Oh, I can't wait to carve you like a fucking turkey!

"You could say that. I trust you'll clean up the mess this time?"

"Why not?" Better I do that than risk one of the Mutants discovering what I've set up in that holding area, he thought. "Word will get around one way or the other."

"Excellent." With that, Grune turned and took his leave, a bit more quickly than usual, Lisker noticed. Whatever he'd wanted to talk about, seeing him as a Guyver had knocked it clear out of his skull.

Confused, and more than a little afraid, Maria crouched at the entrance and strained to make out exactly what they were saying on the other side. Something had gone wrong with the plan, that much had been obvious from Lisker's voice when he'd contacted her via the communication panel set in the wall of the bedchamber. His request had been quite odd, and a little humiliating, yet when the indicator light in the control panel for the door had begun to flash indicating someone was on the other side she had complied. Crying out as though in the throes of passion had caused an embarrassed flush to heat her skin, and Maria hadn't held out much hope that she could be convincing enough for whomever had been on the other side of the door. Imagining the things they had done the night before had helped, yet the relief she'd felt on seeing the indicator light cease its blinking had been profound.

Lisker must have a good reason for having me do that, Maria thought. He wanted someone to think he was making love to me, but why? Before she could take that thought one step further, the lock disengaged and Lisker appeared beyond the threshold. Maria gasped involuntarily, staring up at him in his golden armor with undisguised fright before seeing the Thunderian woman just behind him.

"L... Lisker...?"

"Maria," he said, his voice distorted by the Guyver, "things have just gotten a little complicated. Please, sit down." He indicated the hard bench to the Thunderian, one whose name Maria had not learned, as he locked the door again. The scantily-clad woman obliged meekly, taking her place without a word of protest or a look anywhere but the floor afterward. He walked over to her and, with a hand on her shoulder, escorted Maria into the bedchamber they shared.

"What is it?" she asked once the door slid closed. Lisker knelt down, bringing his head to her level, and Maria found herself stunned at just how tall he was as a Guyver. The first time she had seen him in this state, she had not been overly inclined to wonder about his size while transformed.

"I overheard a group of Mutants talking earlier, about access codes to control all the ships from this one. They thought she had them."

"And, who is she?"

"I don't know. I didn't catch the name they used, and she's not talking to me. Maria," at this, his armored hands lowered gently on her shoulders, "tell her."

"About the plan?"

"Yes. She'll respond to you more easily than she will me."

"Why?"

"Maria, she's been a slave for a while. From the way she's acting, I'd have to say she was a concubine. That means the one who had her was someone important among the Mutants. She sees me as someone to be obeyed, even moreso after seeing me kill the Mutants who were about to torture her for those codes."

"She has them?"

"I don't know, and it doesn't matter. All we need for this plan to come off is this one ship. I don't give a damn about the others."

"You told me last night that having more people in on it would be a complication," she said. "Why has that changed?"

"They took her into one of the holding areas where I've made preparations," he said, staring at her from behind those white eye pieces. "Even if they hadn't, I just can't take her back to the slave pens. That one has been put through all kinds of hell, and I'm not even sure she'll cooperate."

"Once she knows..."

"Doesn't matter," Lisker said, cutting her off. "Whomever she served is the one who put all those marks on her. This bastard took pleasure in leaving his marks on her, and she sees me as someone who will do the same thing all over again."

"What makes you think this?" Maria asked, somewhat confused. "I know you mean for all of us to be free."

"And only you. To the others, I'm just a kinder taskmaster than the Mutants and Grune. No matter how much they appreciate fewer lashes, they see me as another slave driver. Nothing more. Maria, even if you can't bring her around, I can't let her rejoin the others. If those four morons figured her a way to gain an advantage, others might as well."

"We are safe in here. With you."

"With me, yes. In here, no. That lock can be popped, any lock can. From now on, you and her are to follow me everywhere. We'll stay here as much as we can, I've sussed out the listening devices and shorted them out, but if I have to go anywhere, you two go with me."

"We shall have to appear subservient," she said, her resolve hardening.

"Yes. I don't want to put you through more..."

"It is all right," she said. Hesitantly, Maria brought her face to the armor and kissed where she thought his mouth lay beneath. "You taught me to have strength. If this is something I must do to ensure freedom for everyone, then I will do it."

"Thank you," he said. "I'll have to leave you two in here for awhile, but don't worry." At that, he tapped one of the medallions at the side of his head. "No matter where I am on this crate, I'll have an eye on you both. If anything untoward happens, I'll know it and come running." Maria nodded once, and Lisker rose to his impressive height and walked her into the main area. Without another word, Lisker took his leave and she found herself alone with the Thunderian.

"Hello," Maria said, easing onto the bench next to the Thunderian. The other woman remained silent, straing down at the floor with her posture resigned. "I am Maria. What's your name?" She received no answer as the orange and black-striped woman continued to stare downward. Maria sidled closer, and saw tears welling in her orange eyes.

"Do not cry," she said, reaching up to wipe away the other's tears. "You are safe here. Please, talk to me." Still no reply. "Very well, then I'll talk. You have nothing to fear from Lisker. From this moment on, consider yourself freed."

"Freed from Mutant whips only to find myself waiting for his." The venom in the Thunderian's voice nearly made Maria flinch.

"Lisker does not have a whip," she said lamely.

"Then his strap. Or his paddle. Or his fist. Either way, I'm in the same boat I was in before. Just because his presence kept us from being whipped doesn't mean..."

"You're wrong!" Maria exclaimed. "Please, just listen to me. You don't know how fortunate you are."

"Oh, so he won't beat me? Just so long as I service him, he'll treat me like treasure? It may be kinder, but it's still the life I had when Primor was alive."

"Stop it!" Maria shouted, becoming angry. "Listen to me, please. You are no longer a slave, not here."

"What?!"

"I am not Lisker's slave, either." The Thunderian studied her closely at that statement.

"You think you're his lover? You think you won't be cast aside? You wear chains just as everyone else, even if they're not physical." Laheela snorted after that. "Face facts, none of us are getting out of here."

"You do not know Lisker like I do."

"I'm sure he treats you well," she replied, "but that'll last only as long as he thinks you're a good toy. Once he gets bored with you, you'll be back in the pens with the others." Maria then did something Wollos simply were not thought capable of.

Her right hand cocked back and swung in a backhanded arc to leave a stinging slap across the other's cheek. For a moment in the following silence, Maria found herself mortified over what she had just done out of anger at the Thunderian's words.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" she sqeaked. "I didn't mean to..."

"If you hadn't, you wouldn't have hit me." Her eyes were dull pools of resignation to her fate, and Maria's heart nearly broke at the sight.

"Do you truly have so little hope?"

"It's been over a month since Myrlha and the other one of your people escaped. Since they haven't been dragged back and executed they either didn't make it, or the ThunderCats have abandoned us."

"Salvador and Myrlha made it to the Tower of Omens," Maria said, becoming confident, "and the ThunderCats have not abandoned us."

"How do you know?"

"Lisker has a... what's the word?... Psychic! A psychic link to the other of his kind with them."

"I've been told about that other human," she said. "So, Lisker just read his mind and now he knows..."

"You'll have to trust me on this," Maria interjected. "Lisker has a plan, one that will ensure freedom for all of us."

"Does he, now? Goodie for him."

"You would rather remain a slave to those savages?" She shot Maria a withering glare, and the Wollo took an ironic sort of hope from it. It was an emotion at least. "You have seen for yourself how easily Lisker can handle the Mutants. I have, too."

"And?"

"Even so, should he challenge them alone then many slaves would die. This plan will ensure that we all escape here alive."

"He may be tough in that armor, but he'd be so outnumbered..."

"Lisker is a Guyver. From what reached my ears concerning the human with the ThunderCats, Lisker could destroy this place. Only his desire to see none of us die is why he has not."

"He's not what I'd call an altruist."

"Surely you've seen how the Mutants began beating all of us less once he stopped that one monkey from whipping me? If Lisker did not want us all free, he would not have bothered."

"As I recall, he said it was so we could work harder. Thanks a fucking bunch, Lisker," she said, waving a hand at the doorway.

"Will you at least listen to the plan?" Maria asked plaintively.

"Sure, why not?" Maria began to explain in detail, the Thunderian's eyes growing steadily wider as she progressed. Several minutes later, she shook her head in disbelief. "So, once the ThunderCats attack..."

"Yes. Will you help?"

"Help? How?" A tiny flicker of hope, so small in fact that Maria almost missed it, appeared in her eyes.

"Do you know how to pilot this ship?"

"No, but some of the others might."

"What about the armory? Do you know where it is?"

"Of course I do. Why?" Maria reached into the hidden pocket she'd sewn into the jacket and produced the keycard Lisker had given her. "No way..."

"Lisker told me it will open the door to the Armory."

"That key'll open any door on this ship," the other woman replied in stunned surprise.

"Trust him. Please." The Thunderian looked away, clearly reluctant. Undaunted, Maria applied a hand to the unblemished side of her face and gently turned her gaze back. "I know trusting someone must be hard for you."

"You have no idea..."

"Especially if it's someone who looks to be in the position that Primor was over you. Lisker will not force himself on you. He will not hit you, or say hurtful things to you. No matter what you may think of him, what I've said is true."

"So, we just stay in here until the plan gets fully underway, huh?"

"If Lisker must leave, then we must go with him. We must appear to be his..."

"Concubines."

"Yes, but that is only to fool Grune and the Mutants. I know Lisker's heart is good, and that he will do what is right."

"You've got a lot of faith in him, I see."

"I do."

"You sound like you even love him."

"Again, I do."

"Oh?" The other woman arched an eyebrow at her. "Does..."

"Yes. He does."

"That's possible? You're both so... different."

"That does not matter." It was left-handed truth, but still true nonetheless. Among Wollokind, it mattered a hell of a lot. But, not to her. "All I can ask is that you trust Lisker."

"You ask much."

"I know. But, I still ask."

"No promises." She let out a mighty yawn, and Maria moved to let her stretch out on the bench.

"Sleep. I will fetch you a pillow."

"M-hmmm."

Laheela accepted the pillow from Maria, not quite feigning the weariness she felt from the adreanaline fading from her blood. She lay there on the austere surface with Maria's words echoing in her head and the Wollo herself having retired to the bedchamber with nothing else to do. If boredom was all she would have to deal with, then Laheela reckoned she could deal with it.

Lisker wants to free us? she thought once the door to the bedchamber slid shut. My ass he does.

To say that life had been unfair of late would be understatement of epic proportions. Were any to ask Laheela of her thoughts, and no one had bothered in some time, she would go so far as to say that life had treated her in a manner most shitty since the fall of Thundera.

Since I was caught by them...

Not by Primor's men, but by the Kalzian slave dealers who had seen in her a high price due to her being not just female and attractive, but also Thunderian. Her kind had become somewhat scarce about the galaxy with the survivors having been scattered, and more than a few of the less scrupulous among the old-credits and nuveau riche in the galaxy would have been only too happy to pay premium cred for one of those that were left.

She had found room and board on a space station which the kind souls who had stumbled across her escape pod had taken her. Laheela had even gained employment as a waitress in the traditional Thoran restaurant run by a somewhat stern owner. The work had been demanding, Thoran quisine having been rather popular in that sector of space, yet the tips had more than made up for the lousy pay and allowed her to save quite a bit toward passage on a cruiser bound for a more pleasant region of the galaxy. She'd learned to dodge overly friendly hands, tentacles, and other appendages depending on species as she labored toward her goal of settling on a friendly world somewhere out there.

That all came to a crashing end her last night on-station. Laheela still remembered the feel of multiple hands seizing her as the icy sensation caused by the sedative which had been delivered through the skin of her throat via hypo-spray robbed her of consciousness. She had awakened secured to an uncomfortable metal chair, straps across her limbs and torso rendering her incapable of moving along with a gag keeping her mute. The two Kalzians, bird-like beings which were more feral than Avian Mutants, had been sitting at the forward secition of the cramped bridge of whatever ship they had been using and had been haggling with a Simian who would come to dominate her life.

Primor.

Laheela had struggled in vain, her cries of rage and horror muted by the strap covering her mouth, as a price had been settled on. Primor had leered at her, had called her his pet as the chair to which she had been so secured had begun to roll along behind him.

From that moment on, each day had been a course in subservience through pain. Each tiny mistake in her performance, every small sign of resistance, had brought his cruel implements of torture (punishement, he had called them) to her flesh. Primor had taken great pains to ensure that she behaved and performed to his complete liking. He had even forced her to wear the ridiculously skimpy garment he had given her as his sick idea of a gift when not forced to serve him.

Primor had even gone so far as to call her his canvas, and each welt he placed on her orange-and-black striped skin art. With each day of humiliation, another piece of her had died. The news of his own death had done much to restore her badly eroded spirits, and having been placed with the laborers had been a blessing.

Until now...

Was Maria telling the truth? The Code of Thundera had for so long seemed as lost as Thundera itself, but was it possible? Was what she had been told true? Laheela knew so little about Wollos, yet the smaller woman's belief in Lisker had been profound. The plan which had been detailed to her seemed so plausible and, for that, it seemed all the more unlikely. What did Lisker care of their fates? What could possibly make him different from Primor? He was a human and, for all she knew, just as capable of deceit and cruelty as a Mutant.

From a distance, Laheela had seen him bring down a Simian with a few well-placed blows. Lisker was a tough one, at least, yet what he had said made him only a kinder slave driver.

But, just earlier, he had slaughtered the four Mutants who had dragged her into a holding area with the intent of torturing her for the codes she had managed to glean from Primor's personal files after so many months of being his personal toy.

She wouldn't have told me about this if he hadn't made her, she thought. Laheela found herself confused at this recent turn of events. Blessing or curse? Was Lisker genuine?

Uncertain, Laheela drifted into an uneasy sleep haunted by images of her torments and rescue.

The day's confusion had abated somewhat as, human once more, Lisker trudged toward the doorway into his quarters. Grune had avidly avoided him for the entire day, which had suited his purposes just fine. On giving the keycard to Maria, he had been unable to make any further preparations, but he had been able to remain aboard the Ravager. After one errand, anyway.

Just before disposing of the bodies, he had severed the heads of the four and had secured them in a cloth bag which he had carried to the slave pens. The guards had regarded him warily, their animal eyes widening in horror once Lisker had tossed the cloth bundle at their feet and the heads of the four Mutants had rolled into the open air.

"Get a good look!" he had boomed. "If any of you assholes want to play rough, you'd best play rougher than I do!"

While over the top by a good margin, the terror he had seen in the Mutants made the measure worthwhile. If any of the others had the access codes those four had thought she knew, the Mutants wouldn't try for them. Fear could be a very effective tool for controlling the brutish and weak-minded. Besides, it wasn't as if he could be everywhere at once. He hoped that his demonstration would make that little fact moot.

Asleep, is she? he thought on entering his quarters and finding the Thunderian stretched out on the bench. Breath entered and left her with a light sound of snoring, or was it purring? He had little experience with Thunderians. Either way, he could tell she was sound asleep and would not try to leave.

Hell, he thought, where could she go? Back to the slave pens? Not very damn likely. As such, Lisker moved silently toward the door to the bedchamber where he knew Maria to be waiting. The lights were up when he entered, Maria sitting on the bed in all her glory.

"We have known each other," she said upon his entrance. "Do not be embarrassed."

"I'm not. How is she?"

"Hostile and filled with venom," Maria replied with a shake of her head. "I don't think she'll warm to you."

"I didn't think so, either. Still," he said, sitting on the bed and placing a chaste kiss on her lips, "it doesn't matter."

"Truly?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him as tightly as her muscles allowed.

"All the plan really needs is you. I hoped she'd come around, take some of the burden. If she doesn't believe me now, she will once the plan gets started. She'll realize the truth and know what you told her was genuine."

"The ThunderCats should be here soon."

"They'd better be. Or, at least, Sho."

"The other Guyver."

"Yeah." Lisker ran a hand down the curvature of her spine, which sent shivers of pleasure through Maria's frame. "Even if he's the only one to come, and I don't think that's gonna happen, the two of us could easily eradicate the Mutants."

"You will know when they come?"

"I'm pretty sure I'll know when he does. The ThunderCats are gonna be a given."

"Freedom is so close," Maria said before nuzzling his throat for a moment. "And, I can be with you."

"Yes," he replied, not caring anymore where the strange feelings concerning her came from. "I'm not doing this just for us, you know."

"I know. But, it's nice to know that I can call upon a knight in shining armor."

"It doesn't shine, and I'm no knight, but at least I have the armor. One out of three isn't all that great."

"It's enough for me," Maria said, her lips meeting his once more. "You were wrong. She did not believe me."

"It was a long shot at best," he replied, holding her close to him.

"How much more can..."

"Don't ask that."

"Huh?"

"If you ask what else can go wrong, odds are you'll get an answer."

"I see. Don't tempt fate."

"Exactly." Lisker doffed his shirt, and embraced Maria once more. The feel of her down against his skin was heavenly, the Wollo's breasts against his side a source of both pleasure and calm. "If Laheela doesn't want to help, that's fine. I know the plan can come off regardless."

"You're still tense."

"I had to send the Mutants a message. Let's just leave it at that."

"I understand," Maria said, a hand lightly carressing his bare chest. "With these brutes, you have to resort to such measures."

"I'm starting to run out of options," Lisker said, his hand now leisurely engaging her breasts. "If all else fails, I'll just have to take my chances. If they don't get here soon..."

"If you must, then do so," Maria said before staring directly into his eyes. "Even if it means my life, I want you to free everyone."

"Not yours."

"I love you," she said, arms wrapping even tighter around his toned frame, "and I want to be with you. But, if it comes down to my life or the lives of my people, then choose them over me."

"Somehow, I expected you to say that." Lisker kissed her gently, breaking before it could progress. "I said you'd make it out of here, and I meant it." Lisker kissed her again, this time holding nothing back.

"We're not alone in here any longer," Maria said, inclining her head to the door.

"Then we'll just have to be quiet, won't we?"

Laheela silently crept away from the door to Lisker's bedchamber with her mind awash in confusion. His words, his voice, sounded so genuine when he spoke of freeing everyone enslaved here. Was it possible? Was he being honest? A part of her she had thought long since dead wanted to believe desperately, wanted to seize any hope of freedom and not let go until it became reality.

Conflicted by her hopes and her past experiences with said hopes, Laheela lay back on the hard bench to await the coming of the sun.

Lisker awoke suddenly in the new dawn's light, a frown creasing his face as he rose from beneath the sheet. His feet met with the cold metal floor, then carried him to the opposite end of the room while his mind tried to identify the strange tingle which teased his consciousness. What was it?

"Lisker?" Maria's sleep-addled voice asked from the bed they shared. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure," he said at length. The cool air raised goosebumps on his exposed skin as the tingle grew stronger at a steady yet maddeningly slow pace. Lisker focused his mind on that strange sensation, then found himself reaching out through it only to find himself blocked from the source. "It's him," Lisker finally said, a smile playing across his lips.

"Him?" Maria asked. "The other like you? The other Guyver?"

"Yes. He's coming."

"Now?"

"He's blocking me from his thoughts," Lisker said, "but I can feel him. He's pretty far away, but he's headed here."

"The ThunderCats are with him?" The hope in her voice was palpable, an almost physical presence in the room with them.

"I'd put money on it," he replied with a nod. "It won't be long now. A day, two at the most."

"You'll tell Grune?"

"No. Not until it's too late to matter."

"Not much longer, now," she said, and Lisker broke his limited contact when he felt Maria's arms encircle him. "I'm ready."

"Same here," he said, returning the embrace.

Laheela arose at the sound of the door to the bedchamber opening and the sight of Lisker and Maria emerging, the former's face a mask of determination and the latter's beaming hope.

"I never got your name," Lisker said when they reached the bench. Sitting atop the hard surface, she looked up at the human. "I don't want to go around saying 'Hey, you' all the time."

"I don't trust you," Laheela said firmly.

"I guess I can't blame you for that," he replied, closing his eyes and nodding. "I'm sure you've been through a hell of a lot."

"But..." she took a deep, anxious breath. "I will trust you enough to help you."

"Wonderful!" Maria exclaimed, clasping her hands to her chest.

"That's all I can ask of you. That, and..."

"Laheela," she replied, finally giving him her name. "My name is Laheela."

"Laheela. You've been briefed on my plan?"

"Yes. It is certainly bold, I grant you that. The holding area which those four took me..."

"Yes. Under the floorplates of the southeast corner. I hid enough weapons there for ten people to arm themselves."

"Maria has keys to the shackles we'll be wearing?"

"Right here," the Wollo replied, patting her jacket. "Along with the keycard for the armory."

"You won't be wearing chains, Laheela," Lisker said with a shake of his head. "You won't be with the others."

"What?" both women said, confused.

"The ThunderCats will want to fully regroup before they launch an attack. Maria, since your jacket's so large on you, no one will notice the outline of the keys and the card on you. You'll have to join the others."

"And what about me?" Laheela asked, suddenly wary.

"Once they get close enough, I'll sneak you out of here."

"The ThunderCats?" she asked, uncertain.

"Yes. I'll need you to explain the plan to them, and get them to charge the ships. Grune won't be expecting it."

"How do you know?"

"I'm helping him plan for this attack," he said by way of explanation. "I'll do everything I can to divert Mutant scouts from where the ThunderCats are, but I can't promise anything. Please understand."

"All right. So, what will you tell Grune when I'm not with the others?" she asked. "He'll definitely notice a Thunderian missing, especially since you went to such lengths to bring me here."

"I'll... come up with something."

"Not good enough. How are you going to cover me not being here?"

"Don't take this the wrong way," he began, "but I was planning to tell him that I'd killed you."

"What?!"  
"Didn't I just say not to take it the wrong way?" Lisker asked, hands spread. "I'll tell him I got tired of your resisting me, and I took care of you myself. It'll cover your absence, and it may even cover anyone seeing me flying you out of here."

"Flying?"

"Remember? Trusting me enough for this?"

"All right. So, what about the other three ships?"

"We don't need those. This one ship will do."

"No. The Mutants who will survive, and some will, would use them to their advantage in the coming battle. If nothing else, they'll flee this world and call for reinforcements from Plun-Darr."

"I see. If you can lock the other ships to this one, then do it. Do you know if any of the Thunderians can fly this thing?"

"I'm not sure."

"As long as all of you stay aboard after gaining control, everything should be all right. Safe bet one of the ThunderCats would know how to run this piece of shit."

"Panthro could," Maria added.

"Panthro? He still lives?"

"Yes. He could pilot this ship, I'm certain of it."

"Either way," Lisker interrupted, "time's getting short. They're on their way right now. Call it a day or two, but they're coming."

"Not much longer, then," Laheela said, eyes shining with unshed tears of hope.

"Laheela," Lisker said, crouching down in front of her, "thank you for trusting me at least this much."

"If you want to thank me," she replied, staring into his eyes, "make sure we're all set free."

"I will."

Preparations: Tower of Omens

Myrlha rose from her bed, feeling admittedly better than she had in weeks. She gathered her sketches of Fortress Plun-Darr and took a breath deeper than any she had taken since reaching Darkside. The simple blue leotard stood out against her tawny skin, and was even brighter than the light colorations of her hands and forearms, leaving her heels and clawed toes exposed. She had bathed earlier in the morning, before first light, and the sensation of being clean once more was so good as to be heady. Myrlha, for her part, didn't care where she was given a berth to sleep. The floor in the hangar would be infinitely better than where her countrymen were being held.

That'll change, she swore to herself. She sent a silent prayer for the Thunderians and the Wollos still awaiting their freedom to whatever kind-hearted diety was receptive.

"Myrlha?" Sho's voice came from opposite a privacy screen between the bed and the rest of the infirmary. "You ready?"

"I've been ready. Are you going to escort me?"

"Well, since you don't know your way around the Tower, I volunteered to guide you."

"Why are you hiding behind that screen?" she asked, puzzled.

"The last time I just busted in here... Let's just say things got a tad awkward."

"Oh," she replied, understanding. "Well, let's go, then." Myrlha walked past the screen to find Sho waiting and his eyes widening slightly at the sight of her.

"Well... um... This way."

Is he... Is he smitten with me? she thought as she fell into step beside Sho and the two left the infirmary and entered the curving halls of the Tower of Omens. Myrlha found herself smiling a little at that. It was sweet to see how nervous he became around her, and it reminded her of the Lynx whom had the biggest crush on her back in her home town on Thundera, a farming village on the edge of the Kararr-O plains.

She remembered the night before, when he'd taken her hand in his. There had been no nervousness then, no awkward stammering. He had been confident, if a little haunted by something, when he swore to help free all the enslaved ones. His body was of a young man (she assumed, never having met another human), but in that moment he'd shown the heart of a warrior. Her fingers brushed against the back of his hand by accident and she felt him fidget slightly with a faint rose color blossoming on his face.

He's smitten, all right, she thought, and to her surprise she found herself responding to him in kind. She had no idea of Sho's true age, but in her twenty years Myrlha hadn't considered falling in love. Roughly, she shoved all notions of love from her mind. More important matters required attention. Far more important matters.

"AH! Myrlha, welcome," Tygra said as Sho led her into the control chamber of the Tower of Omens. "If you'll hand those papers to Lynx-O, we can begin the briefing." Myrlha did so before taking a seat to Sir Panthro's left. Sho took a seat to her left in suit and, to her surprise, grasped her hand beneath the table. Myrlha did not pull away, merely returning the comforting gesture with a quick look into his sea-blue eyes.

Smitten, all right, she thought as a warm blush crept up his face. How sweet. Their contact broke when, once done scanning the sheets into the complex array of systems situated before him, Lynx-O called the information up on the main viewer.

"You did this from memory?" the eldest ThunderCat asked, intrigued.

"Yes. Selwyn bade me memorize them before Salvador and I made our escape. If the originals had gone missing, the Mutants would have learned something was wrong and likely have re-captured us if not stopping our flight in the first place." In turn, each image appeared before the gathered Thunderians. A finished rendering of Fortress Plun-Darr, a larger incarnation of Castle Plun-Darr which Slythe had enslaved the Brute Men to construct. Grim chambers whose walls were lined with solid doors and dangling chains. Arsenals loaded down with laser rifles, maces, clubs, Nosedivers, the list just went on.

"What can you tell us of troop deployment?"

"Primor may be dead, but his forces are well-trained. Grune will likely keep to Primor's methods to keep things simpler. The two slave pens in the center of the grounds are guarded by a rotating shift of two Mutants each so long as we're in there. Guard patrols circle the perimeter for a hundred meters around, with individual Mutants moving about inside what's built of the fortress. I have no idea how far along construction is, though."

"What of their weapons?" Lion-O asked, and Myrlha found her mouth was slightly dry at being addressed by the Lord of the ThunderCats directly.

"A... As far as handheld weapons, it's pretty standard fare for Mutants," she replied, meaning their various blunt cudgels, poleaxes, and spiked maces. "They have a pretty good store of energy weapons, though not many use them unless facing a larger and better armed force. Primor's troops prefer to kill up close and personal. For vehicles, they've lost a lot of Nosedivers, and their Skycutters have seen some better days."

"They've also got a Warbot," Cheetara added with a low snarl. "Has it been deployed?"

"None of the three Warbots had been taken off the Ravager before I got away."

"Three?" Panthro asked in horror. "We'll have to deal with those things first."

"Primor never put the Warbots out for guard duty," Myrlha explained. "Starting them up takes time, and the power cells they burn through aren't reusable. Or cheap."

"Since when did Mutants care about money?" Bengali asked from Pumyra's right. "Wouldn't the Plun-Darr High Command have some in storage?"

"Sir Bengali," Myrlha began, "Primor and his fleet aren't part of the Plun-Darr military. They're..."

"A Marauder group," Tygra finished for her. "They aren't answerable to Plun-Darr High Command."

"A private enterprise?"

"Exactly, Lion-O. Outside Plun-Darr space, they're more or less a law unto themselves so far as the military is concerned."

"Salvador told us of how you two escaped," Cheetara said to Myrlha, "and of how you two managed to find mounts to speed your journey. Do you recall the route through those tunnels you took?"

"Yes, but the Mutants may have found that fissure by now. If they haven't closed it, then they might be expecting us to use it to sneak in."

"The only way we'll learn the current status of the Mutants is to see it for ourselves," Lion-O declared, "but first we have to get there. Also, we have to determine how to transport all the enslaved people back here."

"I think," WilyKat said, breaking his silence, "the Mutants solved that one for us."

"How?"

"See those four ships?" his sister asked, indicating the area of the compiled diagrams where the starships were berthed.

"I like it," Panthro said with a grin.

"It does have a certain irony to it," Tygra added.

"Laheela," Myrlha said, "has the codes to lock the master computers of the Starsweeper, Pillage, and Bludgeon to the flagship Ravager. With those, we can take all of the ships and weapons."

"That will certainly hamper the Mutants," Bengali replied, smacking a fist into his palm.

"The Mutants will try to use our countrymen and the Wollos as shields," Lion-O snarled. "We have to get them on the run before they get the chance."

"Don't worry about Lisker," Sho said, his voice hard. "The second he shows up, I'll be all over him. I don't know if I can win this time, but I'll keep him off of you for as long as it takes."

"Don't get careless, Sho," Panthro admonished. "You know what happened last time you went up against him."

"That doesn't matter. I'll keep him off of you." Sho's face was filled with determined anger, set in a mask of stone.

"What's left to be determined," Tygra spoke up, "is how we're to get our forces in place. Fortress Plun-Darr is rather far from here."

"Not to worry, now that the Feliner's here," Panthro replied. "When I designed the ThunderStrike, I did so with the intention of using it as a secondary propulsion unit for the Feliner. Gimme a day, and I can rig them together. That'll give us the thrust we need to conserve Thundrillium on the flight there and back, not to mention bringing more firepower to bear on the Mutants."

"Turmagar will be here with more forces tonight," Cheetara pointed out. "We can leave early tomorrow morning if our preparations are made."

"Very well," Lion-O said after a moment of silence. "Pumyra, I'm sure our countrymen will need medical treatment. Gather the supplies you may need. Sho. Myrlha."

"Yes?" the both of them replied.

"Help Pumyra in any way she needs you to."

"No problem, Lion-O."

"Yes, Majesty!"

"WilyKat. WilyKit."

"Ready!"

"Give us the word!  
"Help Snarf prepare provisions. I know you don't want to do this, but we need to pull together now more than ever. Snarf can't do all of it alone."

"Leave it to us!" WilyKit piped up, leaping from her seat at the table and coralling her brother.

"Tygra, remain with Lynx-O and determine the best avenue of assault. I'll join Panthro, Cheetara, and Bengali in prepping our vehicles."

"Of course."

Lion-O breathed in deeply and let it out with an anxious sigh. "If we're gonna do it," he began.

"Then let's do it," the other ThunderCats finished.

Pumyra ran through her mental checklist for what felt like the hundredth time as she inventoried the rapidly growing stacks of herbs and medicines. She knew, from the wretched condition in which Myrlha had arrived at the Tower, just how bad her other countrymen had to be faring.

Don't get too far ahead of yourself, she admonished herself. None of them had to cross half the continent in such poor shape. Despite that mental warning, she kept imagining them in the grip of disease, hobbled by improperly healed wounds and freshly inflicted ones...

Pumyra shook her head violently. The horrors of seeing people wounded and sick, and the desire to make said people whole again, were what had driven her to become a healer while Thundera was still her home. On the reverse of that, those same images of the injured and inflicted plagued her thoughts. She had, for the most part, gotten control of her overly active imagination across the years. The current situation seemed to have given those old demons free reign to rampage about her consciousness.

Given the unfortunate and aggravating fact that Thundera had always been under constant threat of invasion, attack, and the general fuckery of Plun-Darr as well as whatever wandering ne'er-do-well which happened to blunder into her homeworld's sector of space, Thunderian medical training had been comprehensive to the point of being nearly overwhelming. The high point of which, and Pumyra took great pride in being an example of this, was that those who made it through the basic courses were supremely well prepared for whatever specialty of medical practice they wished to enter. Pumyra's had been research with an emphasis on genetics, unlocking the secrets of Thunderian potential.

All that had gone to hell in a handbasket once Thundera had been destroyed. Pumyra, while stranded on that island with Lynx-O, Bengali, and the two Berbils who had the goodness in their hearts (or power cores) to pull them off of Thundera just before the last violent tremors and eruptions from the core caused the planet to rip itself apart, had the irrational yet very real feeling in her heart of hearts that she had been cheated.

Having been found by the ThunderCats, and having been named one, had allowed her to at least practice general medicine again, and for that and more she was thankful. Of their own accord, her eyes briefly passed over the cold storage unit in which the samples of healing resin which she had collected from the Guyver were stored. Perhaps she'd have the chance to do some truly groundbreaking research.

First, though, she had a couple hundred Thunderians and a village of Wollos awaiting her care. Once this rescue was done (she did not allow herself to think the word "if") she and Tygra would be busy indeed. Shaking herself from the grip of reverie, Pumyra turned to check on Myrlha and Sho's progress and hid a brief smile.

She has no idea I'm looking right at her, Pumyra thought as she watched the Cougress break from her task for a moment to study Sho's muscled back which the blue suit showed off with a look on her face that was a mix of curiosity, uncertainty, and a bit of good old checking out the goods. Sho remained oblivious as Myrlha went back to the racks of handheld scanners, calibrating them by checking her own vitals as Pumyra had instructed.

Do us all a favor, Sho, Pumyra thought with a hidden smile. Let WilyKit down easy.

Myrlha turned her gaze from Sho's taut back and returned her attention to the medical scanner she held toward her torso. Having no medical training, she had to rely solely on Lady Pumyra's instructions to make sure the instruments were calibrated and working properly.

Focus, girl, she admonished herself. You're got more important things to do than look at Sho. Even so, as she ran another scan on herself (and becoming so familiar with her vitals that she could recite them on command) she found her thoughts drifting maddeningly toward the human. She could not deny, to herself at any rate, that she felt a curiously strong attraction to him. What she could not determine, however, was why. He wasn't Thunderian by any stretch of the imagination, lacking any features that were remotely feline. Even his scent was somewhat bland, nondescript even. Myrlha could not shake the feeling that humans, if Sho were an example, were on the whole unfinished somehow.

His strength, on the other hand, could not be denied. Myrlha doubted the memory of how he had prevented that bone serpent from making a meal of herself and Salvador would lose any of its clarity. In his Guyver form, the human was a force to be reckoned with, that was for sure.

What is it? she asked herself in exasperation. Why am I thinking about him like this?!

She had no definitive answer. Was it the power he possessed? Was it the fact that he had saved her life, not just from the snake but from the pneumonia that had been conspiring to drop her dead? She remembered her hand in his, how she almost reflexively intwined her fingers with his, and that haunted look in his eyes that reached out to a facet of her personality that she hadn't known was there. Something inside had wanted to reach out to him in turn, to let him know that she would share whatever burdens his past placed on him.

Another, more primal part, had wanted to pull him down to her and start kissing him.

At that thought, said primal instinct began to stir and Myrlha forced it down with a quick glance about to make sure no one in the infirmary was seeing the blush which colored her cheeks a furious rose.

She'd had suitors on Thundera. Many she'd rejected, some who had managed to woo her. As a dancer, she was more than used to eyes on her body as she performed routines depicting the great heroes and events in Thunderian history. Bouquets left on vanities in the dressing room had become something many in the Leonid Troupe had finished a performance to find. Myrlha had found more than one arrangement of telma orchids, blood roses, and brilliant violets on her table.

Myrlha wrenched her mind away from the past before she could dwell on the dark times of captivity. It was over, now, done with. All that remained was saving those still in bondage to the Mutants.

Sho failed to notice the quick looks Myrlha had been giving him, appearing to be fully engrossed in his task of sorting and packaging Pumyra's bulk supplies of remedies, splints, bandages, and various other anasthetics and disinfectants. While he dedicated as much effort as he was able into preventing any mix-ups of goods, another part of him dwelled on the battle to come.

One more time, he thought to himself. One more enemy.

It was not so much the Mutants which had him concerned. Nor Grune, for that matter. Savage as the Thunderian traitor seemed to be, Sho knew that Grune was no threat to him.

As was always the case, the harder Sho tried not to think about it, the more determined his mind was to worry it like a puppy with an old strip of rawhide.

Oswald Arthur Lisker. Sho kept trying not to think about Guyver Two, telling himself ostensibly that it was to avoid establishing a link between their minds, to keep him from discovering what they were planning. He even tried the old adage about anticipation being worse than the event.

The simple truth was that Sho was afraid. He didn't fear Lisker himself. For some reason, fear of another was not something that came easily to him. Fear of what would happen to the ThunderCats should he fail this time, to Cheetara, that was an entirely different story.

Oh, stop it! he demanded himself. I won't let anything happen to her. To any of them. I have the power to do that!

Sure you do, a snidely cheerful voice piped up. You're the ever-fucking GUYVER after all! Hey! Hey, remember back then? Huh? Remember telling them that you'd protect them? Where the hell are they now, hmmm?

It's been two thousand years, he thought. Of course they're not here now.

Oh, come on, you know! Ignoring that, Sho glanced over at Myrlha, who was currently scanning herself with another unit, and his eyes took her in before he could stop himself. He snatched his gaze back to the task at hand.

Yeah, she's *hot*, ain't she? that irritating voice returned. *Nice* curves on that one. Wonder what *she'd* think now that you've discarded her. Oh, my bad, you totally forgot, didn't you? Yeah, Mizuki meant a hell of a lot to you, didn't she?

Shut up!

You promised to protect her, too, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?! Too bad you couldn't keep that promise.

SHUT UP!

Or what, you gonna cry? You gonna run to the new Mizuki over there and bury your widdle head in her bosoms? Huh? You gonna beat me up with the Guyver? Hate to tell ya this, slick, but I'm not that easy to get rid of. You couldn't protect them in the end. Not Tetsuro, not Mizuki, and I don't need to remind you of dad! Go ahead, keep thinking things're gonna be different this time. You've brought death to these people just like Second Earth, and it's my job to remind you. And remind you. AND REMIND YOU! Yes, sir, and I intend to do just that!

Sharp pain in his hands snapped Sho back to reality to find his fists clenched tightly enough to draw his knuckles white. He opened his hands and little weals of blood were spaced along his palms from where his fingernails had broken the skin.

"Sho? Where are you going?"

"Nature calling, Pumyra."

"Well, hurry back."

"Will do," Sho replied, hiding his hands from her. The haunted look which Myrlha had noticed before was back. Pumyra and Myrlha, however, were thankfully too busy to notice.

"Little more... Little more... WHOA! Right there, Lion-O!" The right pod of the ThunderStrike hung in its harness from the ceiling-mounted crane, swaying slightly from momentum as Panthro and Bengali reached into open ports which exposed the inner workings of the vehicle. The main section and the left pod rested on the far end of the hangar, already separated and awaiting work.

Never thought I'd have to do this for a rescue mission, Panthro thought then checked himself. It wasn't just a rescue mission, no way. It was the final strike of a war Mumm-Ra began in order to flush out one human. It was a raid that would erase the rank presence of Plun-Darr from Third Earth.

And, it was about damn time, too.

Panthro had always thought Lion-O too lenient on the Mutants, Slythe in particular, with each past run-in. The Code of Thundera forbade cold-blooded murder, but killing an enemy in battle was another matter all together. The only reason Panthro had held back so much on Third Earth was that, by and large, Slythe and his Mutants had been just shy of pathetic. Dangerous to the natives, sure, but against ThunderCats? No way.

That all changed some months ago, when Mumm-Ra finally pulled out the stops. Panthro had been quietly relieved to find that, in real combat, Lion-O wouldn't back down from deadly force and wouldn't let it bother him afterward. Their enemies weren't playing the same tired games anymore, and neither could the ThunderCats.

Now, most of their enemies were out of the game. And Panthro couldn't be happier about it. After this, their countrymen would be rescued, and then they would all be a people again. The Code of Thundera could grow and flourish again.

"Mind the power converters, Bengali," he said distractedly.

"Between forty and sixty percent. I know."

"Couplings?"

"Aligned and waiting to be put together."

"Readouts from the Feliner's systems?"

"All green. We can attach when ready."

"Good. Proceed." Panthro stepped back as the ThunderStrike's right pod was lowered gently onto the right wing of the Feliner. He and Bengali made several last-second connections before the two bodies joined. One down, two more to go.

Bengali eased back as the pod was lowered onto the wing of the Feliner, the connections he and Panthro had made already fading with the list of things left to do. The two ThunderCats crossed over the Feliner's tail section to the left wing in preparation for Lion-O to hook the other pod of the ThunderStrike to be united with the Feliner.

Bengali had a difficult time not thinking about the strange events which had transpired since they had more or less recruited Sho. Things were unfolding faster and faster now that the Guyver had joined them and Myrlha had found the Tower.

Too fast, he thought, allowing a portion of his mind to focus on Pumyra. She was the center of his life, the yin to his yang. Pumyra balanced him so completely that Bengali could not fathom a life without her sometimes caustic presence. Her remarks, at times gentle and biting, kept him coming back for more of her particular brand of love.

Without her...

Stop it, he commanded himself. The tide of negative thoughts abated briefly as he guided the left pod of the ThunderStrike down to the open ports on the Feliner's wings. Despite the desperate plea he made to himself, he could still see nightmare images of Pumyra falling dead in the coming battle over and over again.

STOP IT! Bengali demanded himself. She WON'T die!

Bengali ignored as best he was able the cold chill which passed through him at the thouht of her dying in the coming fight. Just because the three of them would be in the ThunderStrike, once re-separated from the Feliner, there was no guarantee that a lucky shot form a Nosediver wouldn't...

As the second pod slowly drew closer over the shriek of hydraulics, Bengali forced those thoughts out of his head. Pre-combat jitters, he thought, aren't what I need right now.

In the control seat of the crane, Lion-O checked and rechecked the various gagues. Power level, oil pressure, boom position, and various others just glanced off the surface of his notice. Though he could not know, his thoughts were following a track very similar to Bengali's.

He knew Cheetara would be fine. She was a ThunderCat, and had been for longer. She was an experienced, battle-hardened warrior.

She was also the one he loved. Before that, nothing else seemed to matter as much.

Lion-O moved the second pod into position, his thougths on Cheetara. He tried to tell himself that he didn't need to worry, but that thought held little meaning. Yes, he had seen her in action time and again. Yes, he had seen her face seemingly insurmountable odds and come out on top. But, that had all been before they'd become a couple. That one fact put a whole new spin on his feelings about her facing such dangers.

I can't order her not to go, he thought as Panthro and Bengali began making the digital connections needed before the pod could be fully lowered and the main linkups established. Lord of the ThunderCats or not, I just can't do that to her.

Lion-O found himself facing some rather unexpected and unpleasant facts as he sat before the crane's controls. Cheetara was not a kitten, and did not need him to keep watch over her much as he might wish otherwise. Also, though he had not admitted this to the others, that same wish had been partly what had compelled him to leave her with the kittens when the first attack had begun. He needed no reminder other than the scars on her toned back and the one just below the breasts he'd held for the first time some weeks ago of that.

Is it natural to be this worried? he asked himself. Lion-O suddenly wished she was here to ask. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Cheetara was an adult, in many ways moreso than him, and could make her own choices. His role of leader and title of Lord of the ThunderCats could never change that nor give him the right to take the choice from her. He knew that, yet such did nothing to alleviate his concern.

Focus on the here and now, he commanded himself once he saw Panthro waving for him to lower the pod. You'll have a chance to talk to her later. It's not like you don't know where she sleeps.

The sun had nearly set, casting the sky in a fiery hue as the ThunderCats all assembled in the Tower's control chamber for a dinner of sandwiches and to discuss the tactical scenario Tygra and Lynx-O had devised. Tygra was cautiously optimistic about the plan, even though he knew that the odds were stacked terribly against them and it was this sobering note that he began the briefing.

"We know that," Panthro said, "but we don't have any other option than to strike now. If we let the Mutants dig themselves in deeper, what with the numbers and firepower on their side, we simply won't survive another direct assault."

"And," Cheetara added, "you know one's coming sooner or later. Better we strike the blow first."

"I'm all too aware of that," he replied. "I've recently been in contact with Turmagar. He's on his way with fresh troops and heavy weapons for the Gomplins already here." Tygra's fingers worked over the control panel's keyboard and called up the compiled image from the schematics Myrlha had memorized. "Working under the assumption that their radar and sensor nets are operational, we have calculated this point," a small green dot appeared in the hinterlands surrounding the notional Fortress Plun-Darr, "five miles out from the construction site the closest safe distance. The approach will require two days for all of our assets to be in place and ready. Gomplins, unfortunately, simply are not as fast as the Feliner especially with the ThunderStrike equipped to it."

"Just a few minor connections to check," Panthro said once Tygra's gaze fell on him. "Call it an hour. Truth be told, I'm surprised we got it done so fast."

"Truly?" asked Lynx-O.

"Yeah. The first time's usually the worst for a rig-up like this."

"Our first priority," Tygra continued, "is the rescue of our countrymen and the Wollos being held there. Once they're secure, we must get them to the Mutant ships. Once done, we must withdraw. Without their workforce and weaponry, the Mutants will not be able to complete their new fortress. This will leave us, hopefully, ample time to plan and amass resources for a much larger strike against them."

"So, how are we going to pull this off?" Pumyra asked after swallowing a mouthful of meat and bread. All of Snarf's time was being devoted to preparing supplies for their countrymen to eat once rescued. The sandwiches had been the kittens' doing, and they hadn't done a bad job, either.

"What shall carry this battle in our favor will be surprise and air power," Lynx-O explained. "Turmagar's Gomplins will be outfitted with medium-yeild explosives, which shall be dropped upon the ammo dumps," the image then shifted to the layout of the fortress grounds and more green indicators appeared over the mentioned areas to the east of the looming structure, "and the incomplete fortress itself. It is best to remove as much of their firepower and footsoldiers as soon as possible."

"Sho, you will be part of the air assault," Tygra said, looking at the human who sat on an available surface next to Myrlha. Were his mind not so occupied with the coming battle, he would have noticed how her hand fell over his at that statement. "We can expect Lisker to enter the battle postehaste, and it will be best to have you there as soon as possible to counter him."

"Got it," he replied. "I'll keep him busy. But, what about the ThunderClaw and the HoverCat? We'll need all the guns we can get, right?"

"They don't have the range," Panthro explained, "and they can't be mounted on the Feliner. Anchoring the ThunderTank to it is gonna put enough strain on the engines while in atmosphere as is."

"Right." Sho nodded once, his curiosity satisfied.

"The ground assault will consist of the rest of us, Turmagar's soldiers, and the ThunderTank. Remember, we have to hit them fast and hard. We cannot let them organize a defensive front. Sho, once you have dealt with Lisker, if you have enough power we would like for you to give them a parting shot to discourage pursuit."

"The megasmasher, right?"

"That'll do it," Bengali said.

"Sure thing." Tygra could see the unspoken "If I survive Lisker" hanging just above Sho's head.

"What will you have me do?" Myrlha asked, her eyes burning with determination. "I can't stay in the Tower, not will all of them in the hands of those bastards. I have to fight."

"We can't ask you to risk yourself any further," Lion-O replied. "You've done more than enough already..."

"My brother was in the Royal Guard," Myrlha explained, her voice hard. "He taught me a thing or two about weapons and combat. I can fire an energy rifle just as well as any of the Guardsmen could. Please," her words became softer, pleading, "I promised them I'd come back with help, I gave my word. I need to see the Mutants fall."

"We need every pair of capable hands we can get," Tygra said before Lion-O could refuse. With what Myrlha had likely seen and endured in Mutant captivity, he could understand her desire to be part of the assault. Lion-O looked over at him, understanding evident in his posture.

"Very well. You'll man the rear turret of the ThunderTank. Panthro can teach you how to operate it on the way there."

"Thank you, Majesty," she said with a deep bow of her head and shoulders. "Thank you."

"It's pretty simple, really," Panthro said, drawing her attention. "Just aim and shoot. You oughtta have no trouble."

"Turmagar should arrive in another hour," Tygra said as he brought the briefing to a close. "We depart at first light." On a rare impulse, Tygra extended his hand, palm down. Lion-O followed suit, placing his atop Tygra's, then the other ThunderCats did likewise.

"Sho, Myrlha," Cheetara said, "you're part of this too." Myrlha approached, slightly nervous while Sho's eyes widened in surprise. His hand, smaller and unclawed, rested atop the others in an act he hadn't seen since Second Earth.

"If we're gonna do it," Panthro began.

"Then let's do it!" everyone shouted together.

It was the close of the day and, despite the weariness Cheetara knew that sleep would not come easily as she sat on the edge of the bed she shared with Lion-O. Tomorrow, the battle would end. One way or the other, the madness Mumm-Ra instigated would be settled. Cheetara thought back to his last appearance, when an out of control Guyver reduced him to his component molecules with what everyone had come to call the megasmasher. She could not think of a better name for that horrific weapon. She found herself concerned for Sho, whose task it was to do battle with Guyver Two directly. She'd had front row seats to their last encounter, and she couldn't help but feel some dread over Sho's chances as she pulled her leotard down to her waist and bent to remove her boots. The strong presence of Lion-O's hand on her back pushed those concerns well away as he stroked her exposed spotted skin.

"Now's really not the time," she said, his caress sending electric jolts of pleasure through her. He remained silent, she could practically feel the contemplative stare on her back. It wasn't arousal, she knew. "What is it?"

"I made a bad decision," he began, his voice thick, "and these scars are the result."

"Huh?" Cheetara turned to face him, her outfit still half-removed. She saw the emotions working his face in several directions at once. Lion-O was still a bit uneasy when it came to discussing his inner feelings, but at least he was making a real effort.

"Back then," he began, "when I had you stay with Snarf and the kittens..." She tamped down the urge to interrupt him, to tell him it wasn't his fault. Better that he get it all out. "It wasn't just to guard the Lair."

"Go on," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I wanted to keep you safe. I wanted you safe, and look what happened. I... I know you don't need me to keep watch over you, but with what we're going into tomorrow, I..."

"Lion-O." Her gaze hardened, indignation beginning to bubble up inside.

"Please, just let me say this. I know you're a warrior, Cheetara, I know you can handle yourself in a fight as well or better than most. I've seen it too many times not to know that. But, we weren't together then. My feelings for you are a lot stronger, now, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about what could happen to you."

"I know you are," she replied, the approaching anger fading. Remember, she told herself, this isn't easy for him. Perhaps it never would be, but so long as he'd make the effort, she'd be there to hear it. "Believe me, I'm worried about what could happen to you as well, Lord of the ThunderCats aside." She slid over to him, her slender arms encircling his powerful form and nearly melted into his returned embrace. "It's only natural to feel like this, Lion-O, especially with what we'll be facing. But remember, I'm not some delicate piece of artwork that you have to keep protected on your shelf."

"I know. I'll never insult you by ordering you away from the action."

"That's good, Lion-O," she said warmly. "Just keep in mind that I'm a ThunderCat first. You can't let what you feel for me get in the way of making hard choices."

"Tygra said something to me a while back," Lion-O said, his voice stirring her hair. "He told me the course of love never does run smooth."

"He'd know," she said, unintentionally.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," she said. "Those words are true enough, Lion-O. There'll be times when we aren't happy with each other, even completely angry with each other. The important thing is that together, we can get through the hard times."

"Thanks for letting me get that out," he said as they parted. His eyes, she noticed, still held some hint of worry. She knew hers did as well.

"You're more than welcome. Now, let's get some sleep." Slumber claimed her sooner than she thought possible.

"I know what you're thinking, Bengali," Pumyra said as they entered their quarters. Bengali halted, the doorway sliding shut behind him. He played it off, not wanting to irritate her.

"That I want to kiss you right now?" he asked lightly, knowing inside that he couldn't fool her.

"Aside from that," she said, staring directly into his eyes.

Yep, he thought, can't fool her for a second.

"Listen to me, I know I'm more of a healer than a warrior, but I'll be okay out there."

"I know. That won't stop me from worrying about you, but I know." Her face softened, that smile which won his heart showing beneath the weariness. "We should get to bed. Big day tomorrow."

"Yeah. Best get as much sleep as we can. I have a feeling we won't be getting much of it for the next two days."

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, seeing the strange look in her eyes.

"Just tired. Spent the whole day pretty much packing my entire stock onto the Feliner. Good thing Myrlha and Sho were around to help."

"Yeah, good thing, huh?" Bengali could not help but feel that there was something unsaid between them, and for the life of him he had no idea what it was. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Not at all. Good night."

"Good night," he replied as they entered their bedroom. Something was wrong, alright. Bengali set it aside as they prepared for bed. For the moment, there were other fish to fry.

Pumyra settled beneath the sheets in the dark, wondering how to tell him. She had managed to keep her condition quiet as symptoms were only beginning to manifest, and would not interfere with her duties for a short while yet. She was in the first stages, and not yet in danger of being hampered.

Then, why not tell him? an inner voice asked bluntly. He deserves to know.

She didn't want to give Bengali even more to worry about. This sudden and unexpected development with the Mutant Army, not to mention the Thunderians in their captivity, had taken precedence over everything else. She wasn't keeping it from him.

A sudden wave of cold fear washed over her, the thought of Bengali dying in the coming battle, not knowing about the cub growing within her banishing her approaching slumber and sending her pulse racing. She forced her mind off of that disastrous track with considerable effort.

"Bengali?" she asked, suddenly so close to telling him, further worry or not.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful. Please."

"You, too. I love you, you know that."

"I do, and I love you, too." Please, she prayed, let everyone come through this one alive. Please.

(I'll keep you safe.)

The words echo in his mind as his footfalls echo in the claustrophobic metal optimization facility, taunting him. Mocking him as he ignores the glass cylinders which line the floorspace in neat rows, each filled with a greenish-blue fluid and housing in various stages of development men and women who were undergoing the transformation from human to zoanoid. They mean nothing to him, all except one.

He charges headlong, not even noticing the Kronos researchers who wisely decide that getting in his way is tantamount to a death sentence. Never before has such rage, a white-hot nova of pure anguished hate, exploded into being within him. Not her, he thinks in a desperate plea. Please, God, not her too!

Please don't let me fail Mizuki, too!

The facility seems to stretch into eternity, his goal distant and unattainable, until he sees her and a choked sob emanates from the sonic orbs on his faceplate which grows into a roar as his fist smashes open the optimization tank to spill her naked and deformed body onto the floor in a rush of some perversion of placenta.

"Oh..." Kneeling beside her, his enhanced eyesight confirms his worst fear in a way that the obvious partial transformation does not. He is too late. Though free from the process, enough of it has taken hold for such immediate cessation to be fatal.

Her limbs are far too long, one foot ending in a taloned appendage reminiscent of a bird. Scales, pink and covered with something oddly like mucus, cover her abdomen and right breast and her face! Her FACE! One side of it is twisted in mutation, a closed eye bulging under pinkish flesh.

"Mizuki..." His heart lurches again as she stirs at her name, looking up at him with one eye human and the other zoanoid. Both light up at the sight of his armored body, filling with an emotion he does not want to acknowledge, he does not deserve after such a complete failure. Alive, he thinks, oh, God, alive! The notion holds no joy, no relief, only more pain than his overabused mind and soul feel they can take. The Guyver's eyes show him her fading bio-energy, all coalescing into her now-mismatched eyes.

"Knew... you'd come..." her voice is barely a whisper, yet he hears it all too clearly. He wants her to hate him, to despise him for ending her life just by being, by finding the damned Guyver years ago. He wants her to hate him, because the love and forgiveness in her eyes sears his heart.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry..."

"Promise..." she says, and he knows that her time is gone yet she still holds on, refusing the reaper as her stare bores into him. "Promise me... Never give in..."

"Mizuki..."

"Noh... no... promise me... Please..." He looks into her eyes and he knows she will not let go until he does. Even as she breaks down on the genetic level, as each strand of her DNA unravels, she will not go until she has his word. Even after this, she still believes in him.

"I promise, Mizuki." She smiles at him, that sweet little twist of her lips that he has known since childhood, since before Kronos' shadow darkened first their lives then blanketed the world. The light fades, she fades, and her eyes close for the final time, slipping away from the madness and pain of the past few years. Her fight is over, and he stands outside himself, watching his armored form scream out his rage, sure that he will never stop.

The world pivots on that point, swirling into a whirlpool of darkness so complete that light is less than nothing, and he stands at the edge staring in. It would be so easy, he thinks, to just give it all up. Just surrender to the madness and go out in a blaze of senseless glory, to be with them all to be with her, her...

(You've looked long enough.)

He knows the voice, another whom he failed, yet he hears the truth in those words. His promise is no less binding now.

(When you stare long into an abyss, the abyss stares back into you.)

Did she know? he wonders. Did she know that her last act in life would save mine over and over?

(In the small hours, when the dark was deepest and your resolve weakest...)

Her voice, he recalls, pulled me from the edge. He hears the howling from its depths, sounding so much like them, all of them, down there waiting.

(A lie.)

Yes. He would give the dead their due, he would lay their ghosts to rest. But, not that way. He will not give in.

(Good. Let the dead rest. Your duty is to the living.)

He looks up, on the other side of the yawning rip in the floor of existence, to see them standing there with welcoming eyes. Yes. They are his friends, now. He will fight for them. From their ranks, a woman steps to the fore and he cannot help the twinge of guilt when his heart begins to race.

(Your duty is to the living.)

The living. Myrlha.

Sho rose from his bed, unsurprised that the sun had yet to present itself in Third Earth's sky. Third Earth, he thinks for a moment, a new chance for an old young man. Something flutters at the edges of his consciousness, a notion about the world he now called home, yet is gone before he can even try to grab for it. He padded to the lone window and looked for any familiar constellations. Orion was barely within the slice of pre-dawn sky his window afforded.

I did it, he thought, resting his head against the cool glass. I fought to the end, Mizuki. I had the strength because of you.

"Thank you," he said, briefly closing his eyes. "Watch over me, everyone." He never had the chance to tell Mizuki how he really felt about her, but he thought somehow that she knew anyway. His thoughts drifted to Myrlha, to the immediate and powerful attraction that hit him on first sight. He did not want to acknowledge it, yet he could not help but find immesurable elation and pleasure whenever her hand made contact with his.

My duty is to the living, he said to himself. Even so, the memory of Mizuki refused to fully go away. He felt, on some deep level, that he was betraying her memory somehow with his thoughts of Myrlha.

He could not deny it. Sho knew that he had already fallen in love with her, but had no clue how it had happened. The resurfaced memory returned, bearing a meaning which he had been either unable or unwilling to see so long ago.

The promise had not been her true goal, he realized. Not entirely. Her wish had not been so simple as that. She had been begging, he realized in the pre-dawn darkness.

She had been begging for him to fully, finally, let her go.

Had she known, so long ago? he mused as he dressed in his last clean one-piece blue outfit. Could she have known, in those last minutes, what his own fate would be? Every rational sense told him it was impossible. Yet, here he was facing it.

We were never meant to be, Sho thought, saddened and elated all at once. Mizuki, the girl he'd liked before he'd even liked girls, was now long dead. Her last words to him had given him the strength to keep fighting until the bitter end. And, here and now, his vow to her in those last moments kept him going despite the centuries that separated Now from Then. As he prepared to join the ThunderCats in the battle for their enslaved countrymen, for the fate of the Wollos whom had been captured, for maybe the future of the whole damned planet, he felt a great chasm in his heart finally begin to fill. Resignation was finally dispelled by determination and raw anger at the Mutants for all they had done. Myrlha's name flitted across his mind, followed by Mizuki's long-ago plea to let her go, to let her pass in peace.

"Myrlha," he muttered as he emerged into the corridor just ahead of Snarf's waiting knock. The smaller being stared up at him, no words passing between them. Best to get this over with. Sho's mind shifted gears effortlessly, bringing up a thundering guitar riff along with drums and other accompaning instruments in a heavy metal barrage which he was rather familiar with, all the better to focus himself.

Sho knew the way to the hangar and did not need to follow Snarf as the music swelled and surged in his blood. The smooth walls passed by unnoticed as he keyed himself up for battle. He knew his enemy, the only one whose power matched his. He would not fail this time. No matter what.

Some words he remembered from that American rock song surfaced as he encountered Loin-O and Cheetara fresh from their chambers. He nodded once, the two of them returning the gesture, and only half followed the brief conversation.

Sho had never been more ready for a fight, not since...

(Alkanphel)

... his battle with the First One, the true, and most powerful, Zoalord. He had overcome that immense power. He did not know how, but that would not matter. Lisker was just another enemy, another threat to the weak and innocent to be removed. The sorrow begun by the Guyver would end by the Guyver.

His feet on autopilot, he emerged into the hangar in which the combined Feliner/ThunderStrike resided. The ThunderTank had been attached to its underbelly, the entire setup looking like a weird conglomeration of cat-themed firepower. The rest had already gathered, impatient to get underway as Turmagar reported his forces ready to go. The final refrain, the only words Sho ever clearly recalled from that ancient example of rock music, rang clear and true and he had to force himself to keep them inside.

He gave a grim smile. The madness would end.

Let the bodies hit the floor...

Preparations: Unknown

The hyperdrive unit detached, following its own preset program and maintained a parallel orbit to the observation satellite it had carried through what science termed hyperspace but could not truly classify. The unfiltered light of the system's core star washed across its black solar absorbing panels, briefly highlighting the unknown language which identified it. Translated, the symbols would read "SpyStar - 01".

The pointed front of the satellite spread apart like a hideous metal flower to expose sensor arrays and image recorders and propulsion booms folded out along the sides and bottom. Passive sensor arrays scanned for mechanical energy, charged particles, and various other forms of functional technology. It checked the data for this planet, Third Earth, and confirmed that no advanced technology had developed there. The first reading came from the eastern edge of one of the continents far below, and the limited A.I. fired the proper thrusters in a short burn while the planet's gravity did the rest. It reversed thrust, coming slowly to a halt far above the site of the readings and made an intensive scan.

Inside, several monitor systems classified the unfinished structure and gathered Mutants on the ground with four distinctly Plun-Darrian designed ships outside the main construction site. The Marauder group which had failed to check in had been located. The data was stored and passive sensor arrays detected an airborne vehicle closing on the area.

Main sensors adjusted and found the unknown craft speeding over the ground at high altitude. No match was found in its logs, but the design conformed to Thunderian building themes. The presence of the ThunderCats on this world was confirmed. It had no clue, and no way to care if it did, that this information was highly classified not by Plun-Darr High Command, but by one Mutant. It also did not know or care about the fact that, if this Mutant's hiding of such knowledge was ever detected, that one would be skinned alive and a fleet dispatched to stamp out the ThunderCats once and for all.

Hours passed as the satellite maneuvered just above the atmosphere, seeking out the known coordinates of the location titled "Cat's Lair". It logged that the location appeared to have been destroyed, yet found another example of Thunderian architecture. The systems were highly advanced, and the SpyStar employed another of its directives. On making contact via low energy pulse with the comm system of the spire below, it flash-uploaded a digital worm cluster into the tower's main systems. When a certain time was reached, it would copy and upload, in smaller parcels, any and all information stored within. It would take time, but time meant nothing to a machine.

A countdown began until the mission could be deemed complete and the hyperdrive unit would merge with it once more. It maneuvered itself back across the heavens in the exact path it had previously taken. Data on Primor's force had to be collected as well, and the onboard A.I. calculated a 97% probability of a coming battle.

It would be watching.

In the Next Episode:

The explosive clash between ancient enemies on a world not their own will decide the outcome of the war begun by Mumm-Ra. Lisker's plan gets fully underway, and a newly-freed Laheela must convince the ThunderCats to follow. Will an uneasy alliance between Guyver One and Guyver Two be forged? Will Lisker's plan to free all those enslaved come off?

Win or lose, the unknown satellite far above will be watching.

All this and more in the next episode of One Last War to Fight.


	25. The Fight for Their Freedom, Part One

ThunderCats used without permission

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver used without permission

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War to Fight

Episode Twenty-Five

T Minus Twenty Hours

The sun had been in the sky merely three hours when he felt it once more, the oncoming presence of Guyver One creeeping closer and closer. Lisker knew the geography of his homeland well, and could esitmate their newest point of departure to be somewhere around the area in which the White House once stood. ThunderCats camping out at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, not even the most hackneyed of Hollywood writers could have come up with that! Presidents from George Washington to Bill Clinton were spinning in their graves!

Oswald Arthur Lisker did not let any of this show as Maria dressed herself on the opposite side of the room. He kept his expression stony, forcing his mind back onto the plan. Time was becoming critical, now, and he had to nudge things in the proper direction. Even so, he found himself casting eyes over the slowly dressing Wollo, and recalling the softness and love she brought to the bed in which they slept. Her movements seemed exaggerated, as if she wanted to arouse him yet again. She was so good at that...

Maria donned her jacket, which had become her only garment, and caught Lisker checking her out from the corner of his eye. She wiggled a little at his scrutiny, amused at how he flinched away. They were more than just a couple, now, they were bonded and she knew he sensed it as well. Their furtive glances at each other only furthered that thought.

The presence of Laheela had been, all in all, rather pleasant.

Over the past two days, the two women had gotten to know each other. Not in the way she and Lisker had come to know each other, but such was irrelevant. Both knew the plan, having gone over it several times. They had come together over the passing days, and Laheela had begun to warm to Lisker in some small ways. They had only needed to appear subservient once, when Grune had shown up to ask about the ThunderCats. Lisker had lied to him brilliantly, saying that the other Thunderians were only just starting preparations for an assault. Maria and Laheela knew better, and in that knowledge they had taken great satisfaction.

"Lisker?" she asked, looking at his hard expression. She loved him, she trusted him, yet sometimes still had trouble reading his moods. With a Wollo it would have been no problem, but she still had little experience with humans other than him. She crossed the spartan chamber and knelt at the foot of the bed. His face was as rock, eyes closed in concentration. "What's wrong? Lisker..."

"Today," he said abruptly, snapping his eyes open. Startled, Maria flinched ever so slightly. His body melted into a more relaxed state, yet his eyes were still hard. "I gotta admit, I didn't think this part would be so damn hard." In what seemed to her eyes a single move, Lisker bounded up and wrapped his arms about her in a fierce embrace and kissed her with an equal fervor.

"...Lisker..." she gasped once their lips parted, breathless. "Isn't it too early for this?"

"Consider it for good luck," he replied as he stared meaningfully into her eyes.

"Oh." Maria shivered, a strange compound of exhilaration and fear pouring into her blood. "They are here already?"

"They'll be close enough tonight, if I'm doing my math right. I've gotta pull one more over on Grune, and then everything'll be ready."

"You've slowed down their preparations," she said hopefully. "Still, I've gotten used to not being chained once more." She did not bother to add the word "physically". Her heart, she knew, would always be bound to his.

"I hate the fact that you will be again," he said, tracing a finger along the line of her jaw. She was less feral than some other Wollos, softer featured and more human-like. "But it won't be for long."

"It does help that I have the keys," she said with a trill of pleasure at his touch. Never would she have thought to find love with a human, not before all this. A silver lining was a silver lining, after all. "Good thing he left the transfer in your hands."

"Yeah. Still, I have to make sure the Mutants see you with the others. They know better than to question me, but I really can't have them talking among each other."

"When?" Maria asked, resigned to being chained again, but buoyant in the knowledge that it would not be for long, and at the end of it everyone would be free.

"Around sundown," he said in response. "Once it gets completely dark, I'll be better able to sneak Laheela out of here." He rose from the bed, then, tension clear in his tight body.

Laheela stretched her lithe body on the hard bench before rising to meet yet another anxious day. While her new sleeping space was just as hard as the pallet Primor had forced her to sleep on night after night as his pet, the bench was far preferable. Even the nervous thrumming in her veins was better than the days of placid resignation at her routine of serving him in whatever humiliating and painful manner Primor wished. Waiting for Lisker's plan to fully begin, waiting for the ThunderCats, for the first time since Thundera's destruction she actually felt alive. She was becoming a person once more instead of a doll, an object at the disposal of a cruel owner.

Like an often read and well loved document, Laheela unfolded the memory of seeing that fist of earth and rock crushing the life out of Primor, his head falling to the ground, and flinging his corpse into that strange energy barrier of Mumm-Ra's creation. That was when it began, her transformation into a living, breathing Thunderian once again. She carefully refolded and stored that memory when the door to Maria and Lisker's bedchamber slid open.

Laheela looked at them and marvelled at how they actually loved each other. From outside, they seemed so damned *wrong*, yet seeing them together one could think they were meant for each other. Laheela chose not to comment on Maria's, to her, questionable taste in men. Despite what she had seen of him and what Maria had told her, Laheela still did not fully trust Lisker. She supposed that would come only if (when, damnit, think positive for once!) all of the slaves here were freed. Maybe.

"Laheela," Maria said, walking toward her with a determined cast to her face. She noticed how it always seemed to be the Wollo who spoke to her first, as though she were a courier between them. Laheela had to admit, it was easier to speak to Maria than it was to Lisker. He probably knew that, too.

"Good morning," she said, smiling and meaning it. She had come to really like the Wollo. "What is it?"

"Tonight," she replied meaningfully, and Laheela's heart began to beat faster.

"They're close?"

"Unless I miss my guess," Lisker said, snapping her eyes to him, "they'll be within striking range tonight. I've got to get all the slaves aboard by sundown."

"Where do I hide out?"

"In here. Once night falls, I'll get you clear of this place. You'll have a bit of a run, but I can't get too close to them."

"Or the other Guyver?"

"Pretty much. I can't take the chance of him tumbling to the fact that I'm close by."

"How do you know where he is?" she asked, genuinely curious. "Are you reading his thoughts?" Lisker blew a sigh between his teeth before answering.

"He's blocking me from his thoughts, but I can still feel his presence."

"Then we'll soon see how genuine you are," she replied, ignoring the twitch of Maria's jaw. They had decided not to speak of Lisker to each other. There was simply no point.

"Before I forget," he said, reaching into his hip pocket and pulling out three identical circular devices. Each was colored a flat black, with a clear hemisphere of plastic atop them. "These signalers are all linked." Lisker handed one to Maria, who stared at it quizzically, and then stepped closer to give the second to her. "Laheela, once you've gotten the ThunderCats to at least send some of their forces to the ships, press the switch on top. Five minutes after that, I'll start giving the Mutants something to think about. Maria, that's when you do your thing."

"I understand."

Laheela looked first to Lisker, then to Maria, and back again before shaking her head in disbelief.

"And you really think you can take all of them on?"

"No. I know I can."

Despite her misgivings concerning him, Laheela found herself convinced of at least that.

T Minus Eighteen Hours

While not as fast as the Feliner, Lion-O was surprised at just how well Turmagar's Gomplins had kept up, especially the larger ones which were carrying his soldiers. The propeller-driven engines, which Panthro had despaired of reaching the campsite anytime near sunrise, had been replaced with miniature turbine engines which had allowed the strange beasts to stay within a mile or two of the Felliner at most times. The fact that he kept the throttles away from the stops didn't hurt, either.

"Sleep well?" Tygra asked, approaching from the smothered remains of the campfire with a cup of reheated coffee in each hand. Lion-O accepted one and managed not to grimace when the brew went down.

"More or less," he replied. "Are we all ready?"

"Almost. Is something bothering you?"

"Just anxious. Everything's riding on this one."

"We will overcome," Tygra replied, clapping him on the shoulder with his free hand. "We all have faith in you, and in this plan."

"The plan was yours and Lynx-O's," Lion-O said. "I trust the two of you."

"Grune will be there," Tygra said suddenly, all seriousness.

"I know," Lion-O said in response, "and he'll want another shot at me."

"Remember why we're doing this. Whatever..."

"I won't risk everything just for a chance to get him back." Lion-O stared directly into Tygra's gaze unflinchingly. "This rescue is far more important than settling any kind of personal score. I know that, Tygra, and if Grune wants me, he'll have to come to me."

"That's good to hear," the other ThunderCat said with a small smile and a relieved sigh. "We'll be departing soon, best to get aboard."

"Thinking the deep thoughts?"

Sho turned to look at Panthro, who stared down at him with a slight smirk that he had come to know well.

"Trying to avoid one, really," he said.

"Lisker."

"That's the one." Sho let out a frustrated breath, leaning back against the Feliner's landing gear. "Keeping him on my mind's not gonna help anything, but he keeps popping up." And, my mental song library's not very extensive, he did not add.

"I understand how nervous you've gotta be," Panthro said gravely. "I don't envy you that."

"Doesn't matter," Sho said, keeping his face as neutral as he could. "He's my problem. I have to deal with him. On the upside, keeping him busy won't take much effort."

"Really? What makes you say that?"

"Lisker's main enemy is me. Aside from Cheetara, he doesn't much care about the ThunderCats. He's probably gonna spend all of his time duking it out with me."

"I haven't been able to teach you much," Panthro said with a shake of his head.

"It'll have to be enough. If I can fight him off, I should be able to give the Mutant Army that parting shot you asked me about."

"Think you'll have enough juice left to use it?" Panthro asked, meaning the megasmasher.

"Maybe not at full blast," Sho replied, "but enough to give them the worst black eye in history."

"Has he been..." Panthro tapped the side of his scalp with a finger.

"No, I've shut down any links between us, especially since that dream..." Sho hesitated, the details of that nightmare having finally faded. "He blindsided me once, and it's kinda bugged me off and on."

"What?!" Panthro's eyes widened at the thought that the element of surprise was lost.

"It was an emotion, a powerful one," Sho explained, and Panthro's tense muscles relaxed a little. "I've been telling myself that it can't be what I think it was."

"And that is...?"

"He felt love toward someone."

"You're kidding."

"No, I felt it. Damn near made me drop the tray I was carrying to Myrlha that night, it was so intense." Kind of like what I felt when I first saw Myrlha, he realized suddenly. Was it possible...? "I guess I'd better accept it. Lisker's fallen in love with a... with someone."

"With a... who, exactly?"

"It's not important. I got a name, but..."

"Chilla."

"Uh, no. It was Maria." Sho resigned himself to having to relate what he knew, regardless of how unimportant or unusual it was. He was not a talented liar.

"Maria?" Panthro asked, confused. "That sounds kinda like a Wollo name." Sho kept a meaningful look on his face as Panthro looked back at him. Understanding bloomed in seconds. "A Wollo?"

"Surprised the hell out of me, too."

"A Wollo and a human... you said he actually loves her?"

"Yeah. Weird."

"Weird. Weird's... a word."

"I'm pretty sure the feeling's mutual," Sho went on. "Seemed that way to me."

"Anything else you managed to get from him?" Panthro asked. The look on his face broadcast that he hoped it was something more vital than Oswald Lisker's love life.

"That was pretty much it. Sorry."

"Don't beat yourself up," Panthro said with a firm grip on Sho's shoulder.

"Because that's your job, right?" Sho asked with an impish wink.

"You got that right, kid." Panthro's answering smile. A small bit of levity before the battle, it was something Sho found himself to be quite familiar with.

T Minus Fifteen Hours

"So, they've finally decided to come," Grune said around a wicked sneer. "They've just left their tower?"

"Earlier today."

Grune studied Lisker carefully for any sign of deception as the two sat across from eachother in the barely-finished control center of Fortress Plun-Darr. Several wide patches of the walls were yet uncovered, revealing the skeletal gridwork of metal in glaring swaths. Monitor systems were in place, their screens black until power could be pumped in through conduits which were still coiled along the eastern wall. Grune knew it was a pathetic shadow of a stronghold, and part of him seethed that the ThunderCats should launch an assault before it was finished. Once they were crushed, he would make a point of finding the two escapees. They would suffer slowly. Lisker simply sat there, his face neutral, posture relaxed and loose. Either the human was telling the truth, or he was a damn fine actor.

"Can I count on your assistance?"

"How else would you be able to withstand an assault by a Guyver?" Lisker asked. "Even with a weak and untrained host, its power would lay waste to your Mutant Army."

"I don't doubt that," Grune said, barely hiding a shiver.

"You seem to have a healthy respect for Guyvers," Lisker asked casually.

"I know power when I see it." His tone was sharper than he'd intended. Grune brought himself back under control. He would not let this human see him as anything but the picture of calm. "How long?"

"Three days or so. Plenty of time to prepare."

"Especially with the slaves to help."

"I advise against that."

"Why?" What is it about them that so interests you? Grune added silently.

"Do you want them anywhere near your weapons? When they see the Mutants setting up defenses, they'll put two and two together pretty fast. The Wollos are bound to have told the Thunderians about those ThunderCats being on this planet."

"And, they'll realize that rescue is coming. I see. When will you move them?"

"Sundown. The sooner they're well away from the preparation area, the better."

"Something still bothers me," Grune said, leaning back in his seat and crossing his ankles on a dormant control panel. "Why are you so solicitous to them? They're slaves, for crying out loud!"

"They're also your primary workforce," Lisker explained with an exasperated groan. "They can work faster if they're kept better. It's a simple management technique."

"Slaves are disposable, and this planet is rife with replacements." Whatever bug Lisker had up his ass about the slaves, Grune wanted to find out. "It's the Wollo, isn't it? I noticed you keeping an eye on her even before you claimed her as your own." And, the Mutants hadn't liked that one damn bit. "Whatever she does for you, surely you'll become bored with her?"

Oh, shit, Lisker thought, keeping his face an impassive mein. He's trying to steer me. This, he knew, was where the whole ante was at stake.

"Already have," he lied. He even managed not to grimace. "She'll be with the others in the holds. She was fun, though." Lisker's voice was offhanded, even while his stomach wanted to turn somersaults at saying these things about Maria.

"To be discarded so quickly," Grune said, shaking his head. Lisker noticed how keen the Thunderian's gaze was, however. He was searching for any sign that something was up. "I didn't think you'd use her up so fast."

"Get it, hit it, quit it, forget it," he said back and shrugged. "The way it has to be when you're dealing with women." To think, Lisker mused, I actually believed that once. Thank you, Maria.

"I can relate." Grune's words were like silk, too smooth. Lisker realized that he wasn't entirely convinced. "So, what of your new toy? Does she do for you what a Wollo can't?"

You have no idea what Maria's done for me, you piece of shit, Lisker struggled not to say.

"She's a rather talented young woman," Lisker said instead, fighting to keep from tensing up, from releasing the anger that was coming to a fast boil in his heart. The plan could not afford for Grune to interpret that as signs of treachery. To kill Grune right now would be so easy, yet would make sneaking Laheela out tonight that much more difficult. A leader had to stay in the eyes of the troops, after all. "She does this thing with her hips and thigh muscles that can untwist your DNA if you're not careful." The flash of curiosity and the tone of Grune's next words eased Lisker's temper somewhat. The Thunderian's curiosity was nearly slaked.

"I might wish to try her out myself, then, if she's so skilled."

"You were right about Thunderian women," Lisker said, "once you go cat you never go back." Grune's roaring laughter echoed off of the curved walls, the man himself holding his stomach above his spiked belt in hysterics. Lisker forced a chuckle out, when he truly wanted to vomit. How easy such sexist banter had once been to him, in the barracks of the Second Marine Expeditionary Unit, in locker rooms at a Kronos gym that reeked of sweat, even in bars on nights out with associates when spirits ran high on more than one level. Assuring themselves of their manliness, their own prowess with the fairer sex. Lisker now knew better, two thousand years later and had learned from a woman who was not even human.

Fate has a fucked up sense of humor, he thought to himself, letting the smile it brought come to his lips. The last trace of suspicion faded from Grune's eyes, and Lisker's smile grew broader at the sheer irony. His earlier plan of claiming to have killed Laheela for resisting him was now moot. Even if she were noticed missing from the Thunderian compliment of slaves, and even if Grune tumbled onto his plan becaue of it, the bastard would be far too late to prevent anything.

"This may come as a surprise," Grune said, waving a hand at a tray to his right which bore a bottle and two metal flasks. Lisker shook his head slightly in refusal. He would not be taken in that easily.

"I don't partake." With the web of deception he'd woven, what was one more strand, especially one this small? Grune shrugged as if to say "Your loss", and picked up a flask. That answered the question of which held the poisoned brew.

"You're not the first to come to that conclusion," Grune said after downhousing the flask.

"Given the charms of Thunderian women, that's not surprising at all. Either way, we'd best step up preparations." Lisker rose, nodding toward Grune's relaxed form before taking his leave. He trod through the rough halls of Fortress Plun-Darr with a measured step, going over the varaibles once more.

There had been more of those than he'd considered. The fact that his plan was close to fulfillment was the result of either blind chance or divine providence. Either way, the threshold was now reached. Chilla was no longer an issue, and he'd won Grune's trust enough to ensure that his betrayal would not be noticed until too late. All the pieces of this little chess match were in place, and the game was his.

(You're a good man, Oswald Lisker.)

Yeah, he said to that strange inner voice which had taken Maria's tone. A good man who uses lies and stealth to do what's right. I'm no superhero, not like you want me to be.

So what? he thought. If I'm a good man now, that's just fine. No one said I had to be a champion for truth, justice, and the American way. Besides, I'd look ridiculous in blue tights and a red cape.

T Minus Ten Hours

It was unavoidable. The subject would now be breached, though Maria did not relish the thought. The small talk had dried up in the hours since Lisker had revealed that the ThunderCats would be there this very night.

"I know you don't trust him," the Wollo said, hands raised in a placating gesture.

"You're right. I don't," Laheela said from the opposite end of the bench. Her hands were clasped between her spread knees, wringing in anxious tension. "I don't see how you can, either."

"I love him," Maria said simply. "He rescued me the same as he did you. Why can you not put more trust in him?"

"Since Thundera was lost," the other woman said, "I've been through more than my fair share of shit. Living like that tends to jade you."

"What will it take?"

"All of us being freed. That'll be a good start."

"Once we are free of this place," Maria began, "it won't matter what you think of him. Laheela," Maria slid closer, placing her left hand on her shoulder while the right cupped the Thunderian's chin and turned her face to meet her eyes, "Lisker only asks that you trust him enough to help make this rescue happen."

"And, that's only as far as I trust him. Hell, Maria, I may be trusting him too much as it is."

"I don't envy you."

"What a coincidence. I don't envy me, either."

"It's not like you have to stay with us," Maria said. "Once this is over, you'll be with the others again. Lisker and I will have our own life. You may never see us again."

"I know. But, after all this, the thought that freedom could be so close, it seems too good to be true."

"Once you are free, you will know that it is not too good to be true." Maria closed her eys briefly, not releasing Laheela just yet. "So much pain you must have felt."

"You have no idea, and I hope you never do."

Maria opened her eyes at Laheela's words, and almost flinched at the anguish she saw in the Thunderian's eyes. She acted on a nuturing instinct which Lisker had awakened in her. Maria's arms encircled Laheela, her lips placing a small kiss at the corner of her mouth.

Laheela went rigid at the feel of Maria's brief contact with her lips, then relaxed as she took in the kindness of the smaller woman. She had been starved for such simple acts of reassurance and affection and returned the Wollo's hug with one of her own.

"If Lisker really does love you," she said, "I'm beginning to see why."

"Laheela?"

"Don't get the wrong idea," she said with a light chuckle. "You really are such a loving person, and to keep that part of yourself in this place... You're stronger than you appear, Maria."

"Thank you."

Laheela kept the embrace for as long as she could, pure and simple care acting as a balm for her wounded heart. Success or failure, however the plan worked out she would miss Maria when all was said and done.

T Minus Nine Hours

Airborne once more, Pumyra could nearly feel Fortress Plun-Darr coming ever nearer as the Feliner crossed wild country that Myrlha had managed on foot with Salvador. Looking down at the rugged terrain distracted her, a seemingly random conglomeration of greens, browns, reds and blues that looked so insignificant when seen from altitude. On this wild and untamed world, her and Bengali's cub would be born.

Assuming I survive. The thought squeaked past her control. Pumyra gripped the armrests of her seat even tighter, breathing in slow and deep breaths. Her heart began to slow to its normal pace at last, her white-knuckled grip relaxing gradually. She reviewed the facts once more, attempting to reassure herself.

I'm in the first stages, she thought as if by rote, I don't need the handle-with-care treatment yet. The cub's still a zygote, not a fetus. I'll be in the ThunderStrike, not on the ground. For Jaga's sake, girl, get a grip!

The self-admonishment did little to calm Pumyra's abraded nerves.

T Minus Five Hours

"It was like that, huh?"

"Yes," Maria replied, grasping Laheela's hand even tighter. "I did not love Ramon, yet my father would have had me marry him."

"Arranged marriage isn't just a Thunderian thing. How about that?" Maria clearly heard the ironic humor in Laheela's words.

"So long as I gave them a grandchild, they would have all been happy. Everyone would have what they wanted so long as I was obedient. Before all this, I would have done it."

"Sounds like you would have been miserable."

"I would have loved my child, don't get that wrong, I would have loved the baby with every fiber of my heart. But..."

"You would never have loved this Ramon."

"No." Thoughts of the life that had once seemed to be her destiny played like a hackneyed drama behind her eyes, the heroine who was forever denied what she truly wanted in favor of what was expected and demanded of her. From the perspective she'd gained so recently, the whole affair seemed so absurd to her.

"I'm sure you and Lisker could..."

"No. We cannot." A strangled sigh fought its way through her constricting throat. Denied her heart, or denied a baby inside her. So close to being able to have the man she loved so much she felt she were killing herself a kiss at a time, she had to face the fact that while her womanhood would accept his love, it would never take his seed. "Humans and Wollos... cannot give eachother young..."

"Does Lisker know that?"

"Yes. I told him the first night we were together."

"He doesn't mind?"

"I've told him all of this, and he told me the choice was mine to make." Not in so many words, though. "I've made it. What about you?"

"Me?" Laheela asked, stunned.

"Have you ever loved someone?"

"Not the way you and he do, if that's what you mean." Maria took some satisfaction that Laheela finally came to some realization that Lisker wasn't the bastard the other woman had painted him to be in her mind.

"I hope you do one day."

"So do I."

Conversation came to an abrupt halt as the doorway opened and a tense Lisker entered. Laheela took in his tight eyes and set jaw and knew that it was time to get things moving. Her heart began to race, butterflies making her stomach a home now that zero hour had been reached.

"Now?" Maria asked, trepidation shaking her voice.

"Now," he replied, motioning the Wollo closer. Maria rose from the bench and approached with anxiety lurking beneath the confident steps. "You have everything?"

"Of course." Maria patted the side of her jacket in emphasis. "Go ahead."

He really hates doing this, Laheela realized as Lisker placed the shackles on Maria's slightly trembling wrists. Maybe he's not so bad. I still can't bring myself to trust him like she does, but...

"They're too loose," she said, catching their attention. "If those aren't tight enough, the Mutants'll know it."

"I don't mind," Maria said, looking up at his tense features. Lisker nodded curtly before tightening the shackles with an audible click and a gasp from Maria.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice as tight as his body. "I'll have to treat you like an object out there. I have to fool them one more time."

"I know. Do what you must, Lisker." He bent down, kissing her gently and Maria's manacled hands clasped his face and drew him into her. They parted and the emotion Laheela saw in Lisker's eyes was unmistakeable.

"You've done so much for me, Maria," he said. "You have no idea how much. Thank you."

"You've done more than you know for me, too, and once this is over, we can..."

"I love you."

"And I you. Let's get going," Maria replied, casting a look over her shoulder at Laheela. "Good luck to you, my friend."

"You, too, Maria." They left, two unlikely lovers, and as the door sealed shut once again Laheela felt a surge of envy for the Wollo. Whether or not Lisker was genuine, and it sure as hell seemed so, she at least had the illusion of love to carry her.

When did I start thinking love is an illusion?

When her world had been destroyed by two Kaldian slave dealers and the monkey bastard who'd bought her from them. When every aspect of her life had been defined by another and she'd been forced to become a breathing puppet for his twisted desires.

The puppetmaster was gone. Her strings were now cut, her will entirely her own once more. Laheela realized with some surprise that she was already free inside. She no longer had to be excruciatingly careful of her facial expression, no longer had to force her will into the back of her mind. No more would she have to lock away her dignity and self-worth to survive another day of torment and rape. The notion finally became real to her in those moments after Lisker led his lover to the holds to play out her role in this game of deception he was playing on Grune.

No. It was no game. Not to her, not to the others, and most surprising of all not to Lisker.

T Minus Three Hours

The transfer had gone more smoothly than Lisker could have hoped. Each slave had been chained hand and foot and escorted into the holding areas to await the ThunderCats' joining them.

From the corner of his eye, Lisker saw them shove Maria through the door to the holding cell. He restrained himself with a herculean effort, willing his face into a stony mask as she was shoved into the dingy space.

Hold on, he thought, be strong, Maria.

"That's the last of them," a Scavenger said as the thick door slid closed. The plan had still not been uncovered, he thought in consolation. Maria would not be bound long. Secretly, he sought out Guyver One and found him easily close enough. The time was nearly at hand. Lisker walked away from the holding area, confident in the fortitude of his Wollo lover. Maria would not fail.

Maria tested the short length of chain which bound her wrists, thinking of Lisker as she sat sandwiched between an abused Thunderian and another Wollo. The keys felt as though they would burn straight through the material of her jacket, absorbing her desire to free herself and the others in this shadowed and poorly-ventilated hell. The reek of stale sweat and blood was soaked into every surface and it took all of her resolve not to gag at the miasma of odors. Maria breathed through her mouth, replaying memories of each time Lisker had made love to her in an attempt to quell the fear which was trying to bloom in her heart.

So far, everything was according to plan. So far...

Stop that! she commanded herself, drawing on the growing wellspring of inner resolve she had discovered since meeting Lisker. Maria forced her body to remain still, her breathing slow and even. The plan was in motion, and all she could do was wait for the signaller in her hidden pocket to activate in the silence which multiple sets of breathing lungs seemed to only emphasize.

Lisker returned to the chambers he had commandeered aboard the Ravager and felt no lingering desire to take one final look at it. Though he had met and loved Maria here, the space itself was just a series of rooms. He would not miss it even in the slightest, even though he had no clue where he and Maria could go on this weird Third Earth. He briefly wondered just how much truly had changed in the two millennia since his first defeat at the hands of Guyver One. Obviously there could be no more major cities. If this expanse was all that remained of Boston, he despaired the chances of New York or San Fransisco still being on the map.

"Is she safe?" Laheela asked, walking toward him and coming to a halt a half-dozen steps away.

"As safe as anyone can be in this place," Lisker replied. He wouldn't sugar-coat it. They both knew better than that. He checked the gold Rolex on his left wrist, which Mumm-Ra had recreated along with his suit, and nodded. "We leave in thirty minutes."

"How close are they?" she asked, her eyes still wary as they searched him for any sign of deception. Lisker did not let it bother him. He had never expected to win her over completely.

"Five miles," he said. "They've stopped, probably to regroup for the assault." He stared directly into her cat-like eyes, projecting his will as though it were a physical presence. "You have to convince them, Laheela. If the Mutants realize what's happening, or if enough get to the ships to use them..."

"You don't have to finish that, I know. I've been here a lot longer than you have."

"You've got a point. I know you don't much like me, Laheela, but I'm sorry you and your people wound up like this. Just so you know."

"Apologizing isn't necessary," she replied. "It's not your fault. At least you're doing something to change it." Her posture relaxed slightly, her features softening just a little. "That's more than anyone else has ever been able or cared enough to do."

"Cared enough?"

"There have been people, business associates of Primor's," she explained, "who saw themselves as good people just because they didn't own slaves. They did business with him because it was only about credits."

"Money talks and bullshit walks," Lisker said, recalling a much-used aphorism from the ancient past. Laheela barked a rueful laugh.

"Ain't it the truth. They saw themselves as if they held the moral high ground and, if that young woman kneeling in the corner was property it was a case of sucks-to-be-her. One hell of a double standard."

"Yeah." He'd seen quite a bit of that in his own life, even though he could not claim to be a paragon of high morality himself.

"I asked Maria this," Laheela began. Lisker could practically feel the searching aspect of her gaze. "Why are you doing this? Why do you care enough?"

"I'm sure she answered you..."

"I want to hear *your* answer," she replied, her tone sharp. "I've agreed to help, and I'm trusting you enough to do it even when every instinct is screaming at me to stop. You owe me at least that." Though it was far too late for her to back out now, Lisker knew he wouldn't force her to go along. He wasn't the man who had come into this place. Not anymore.

"I don't have a concrete answer for you," he replied, walking slowly over to the bench to sit upon the hard surface. "I wish I did, but I don't. I've changed since coming here."

"Since meeting Maria?"

"Yeah. Seeing all these people in conditions that at best could be called deplorable, it pisses me off. When those monkeys were about to rape Maria, it all came up in a rush. I think that's when I decided to set all this up, or at least when the idea took root.

"Laheela, I hate these Mutant people. I've seen enough to know what'll happen if they get their way on Third Earth. I can't let it keep on like this."

"You don't strike me as the heroic type." Laheela's eyes were uncertain, wary, her posture stiff once more.

"I'm not, and I don't claim to be. I've done a lot of bad things in my life, made more than my share of wrong choices. Maybe being revived on Third Earth is a chance to make some amends."

"So, what is it? Heroism? Love? Redemption? What's driving you to do this?"

"I told you I didn't have a concrete answer for you."

"You are so confusing," Laheela said with a slight snarl. The most frustrating part was that she knew he was not lying, not being evasive with half-answers. "Ever heard of something called simple right and wrong?"

"Sure have. Thing is, not everything's that simple."

"I know that." Damnit.

"Do you realize," Lisker said, his voice amiable, "that this is the longest conversation we've had since I brought you here?"

"It is," she replied. She had asked, and had come away unsatisfied. It was too much, she supposed, to expect Lisker to go from slave driver to super hero.

"Look, I never expected you to fully warm up to me. I didn't even ask that you come to like me. If you want to think I'm a total dickhead for the rest of your days, I'm fine with that. But keep in mind that you'll be thinking that as a free woman."

"How much longer?"

"How does ten seconds grab you?" Laheela turned to face him as he rose from the bench, his face determined and hard. "I said this was the longest conversation we'd ever had."

"Then, let's have done with it." Lisker nodded once.

"Stand back." Laheela obliged, backing away to the door. What...

"Guyver!" The bench which had been her bed was pulverized instantly. Displaced air washed over her as a spherical barrier surrounded Lisker and his golden armor appeared. Each piece seemed to leap onto his body as though eager for the coming battle, coils of black bio-mass writing in the open spaces where armor plate did not cover. At the end of it, he stood in a sizeable depression in the floor and was easily two heads taller than before, and quite a bit larger all in all. Having never witnessed his transformation before, Laheela's jaw dropped open at the sight. The dent in the floor in which he stood was perfectly hemispherical, as though the floor panels had been reduced to their component atoms with the surge of energy released.

"Wow," was all she said, quite impressed.

"There's an airlock just two decks up from here. We'll sneak out that way."

"And, if any Mutants see us along the way?" she asked, knowing the answer but wanting his reaction.

"We'll be the last thing they see."

T Minus Two Hours, Thirty Minutes

Lion-O willed himself not to pace beneath the pale moonlight, busying himself with final preparations before the strike. Gomplins were still coming to a landing at the forest's edge, weapons being checked and re-checked beneath Turmagar's watchful eye as his warriors performed checks on their rifles. His nerves sang like high-tension wires exposed to high winds with the thought that, five miles away and under Mutant guard, so many other Thunderians awaited rescue. He reviewed the plan once more as they all awaited Cheetara's return from her mission of scouting out this Fortress Plun-Darr and determining Mutant readiness.

A mission he had sent her on. Despite having promised not to treat her as someone fragile and delicate, he had nearly sent Tyrga instead. His invisibility, though useful, was trumped by the necessity of getting this intelligence as soon as possible. Cheetara was the right choice, the only choice. Five miles was practically five paces with her speed, and he knew she would not take unnecessary risks. He told himself to relax for what felt like the millionth time in the past half-hour.

Laheela revelled in the feel of the night air rushing against her exposed skin as she grasped Lisker's armored form. They moved entirely unsupported through the night, silent and unseen, the shadows of the trees below denying the moon's light much access. She would have to find her way through who-knew-what down there, but at the end of the trail she would find them. Without warning, their path through the sky became perpendicular to the ground rather than paralell and Laheela's stomach lurched violently.

Cool, dew-soaked grass greeted her bare feet with the smells of the forest teasing her nose as Lisker released her. Knowing that it was useless, she looked about her new surroundings anyway. It was the first non-Mutant inhabited scenery she had witnessed in a long while. Invigorating!

"Two miles in that direction," Lisker's distorted voice said from the shadowed form beside her. In what lunar light managed to pierce the thinning forest canopy, she was able to make out tree trunks and some scrub bushes along the way. "The ThunderCats are waiting. This is as close as I can take you."

"It's enough."

"Good luck." Laheela took a few steps before feeling compelled to stop.

"Lisker?"

"Yeah?"

She froze, uncertain of just what she wanted to say to him, if she should say anything. "You were being honest, after all."

"About time you clued in on that."

"Thank you," she said before her throat could close again, "for caring enough."

"Sure."

Lisker tracked her progress easily, the darkness doing nothing to limit his vision. The way she was moving, he knew, she'd reach them in minutes. Two miles wasn't all that far, after all.

Activating the gravity controller, Lisker rose silently and streaked back to Fortress Plun-Darr as fast as the Guyver could carry him. Unseen by the Mutants or Grune, who was presently bellowing at them for not moving fast enough, Lisker took up a position atop the unfinished fortress and crouched to reduce his outline in the pale light. He watched them work, for once not having access to slaves to handle the drudgery, and flexed his grip on the girder beneath his feet.

What to use first? he thought, fixing on a monkey fiddling with a fixed cannon. Who to use it on? Lisker spotted Grune, and considered. In the end, it did not matter. All of them were catching the last train west tonight, there was no point in beginning with any one douchebag in particular.

The sensor medals, on his command, locked onto the Ravager and peered inside. So many biometric readings in the holds, the ones outside them conforming to Mutants, he had difficulty locking onto Maria.

There she is. Lisker fixed on her reading and saw that she was holding together. He returned his perceptions to normal and, to his surprise, found a bright glow of life energy skulking about the periphery of the grounds.

Cheetara.

It made sense that they'd send a spy to scope things out. Good.

Laheela slowed at the sound of voices just past the treeline. Many voices. She crept closer, heart thundering and blood surging at the thought of who was on the other side of those thick trunks. She peered out from behind one, seeing in the moonlight the ThunderCats, Thundera's nobility, and hope exploded inside when it all happened at once.

One, an aged Lynx, pointed directly at the tree behind which she crouched just before an iron grip wrenched her right arm behind her and what felt like a hand clamped tight over her mouth. Her first thought was that a Mutant had managed to track her, just before she could reach help, and hope mutated into desperate rage as she fought with every ounce of horror and anger she could muster.

"It seems we have a spy," a disembodied voice said and, through the crashing waves of despair the words rang a chord within her mind.

"NMMM!" she cried, shaking her head as her captor started dragging her... toward the ThunderCats?! What in the...

Tygra, positioned just outside the perimeter in case Mutant scouts happened to get lucky, had spotted the shadowed form charging the staging area and knew it couldn't have been Cheetara. The scout struggled in his grasp, howling into his hand, and Tygra realized something was amiss when the spy twisted about and what was obviously a breast pressed against his elbow. Mutants didn't allow females to serve on their ships in any capacity aside from a sexual one, so why...

"Tygra," Panthro said, "what is it?"

He caught her scent, and realized his mistake. Tygra released the Thunderian woman at once.

"I'm sorry about that," he said, genuinely embarrassed. "I thought you were a Mutant spy." Taking her by the arm, he guided her to the waiting ThunderCats.

Lion-O stared expectantly at the spot Lynx-O indicated just before the sounds of a scuffle came and went. Two forms emerged from the shadows and into the pale light.

"Jaga's cape," Bengali gasped as Tygra escorted a shivering Thunderian into the grasslands beyond the wood.

"ThunderCats!" she exclaimed, hope and relief both clear in her voice. "Stars above, he was telling the truth!"

"Who was?" Pumyra asked as the two drew nearer. Lion-O glanced at her garb, what little there was of it, and anger began to melt away the nervous tension.

"My name is..."

"Laheela?!" Myrlha cried out, charging over to the other woman and clasping hands with her. "Is that you?"

"It's me," Laheela replied warmly. "I'm so glad to see you again, Myrlha."

"I promised to come back with help, didn't I?"

"Please, ThunderCats," Laheela pleaded, "there is no time. You must listen to me! Please!"

"We will," Lion-O said gently. "How did you escape?"

"I didn't. I was set free."

"By who?" Panthro asked.

"Lisker." A collective gasp of shock was followed by confused murmurs at her pronouncement.

"Maybe you should start from the beginning," Tygra advised, moving to stand with the others.

"All of the slaves," Laheela began, "our countrymen, the Wollos, and those brute people, they are all on the Mutant flagship."

"The Ravager," Myrlha provided.

"Yes. Lisker convinced Grune to let him transfer all of them there."

"Why?" Lynx-O asked.

"Lisker is not on Grune's side. Listen..."

"Are you alright, Maria?" She tensed at the soft voice of Ramon, chained to her immediate right. His dark wool clothing was tattered and torn, exposing a body she had cried herself to sleep over the thought of making love to. He was handsome, true, tight-muscled and lean for a Wollo, but he was not Lisker. Nowhere close.

"Yes," she answered, her voice tight. Ramon was nice enough, but she did not love him. After meeting Lisker, she could never love Ramon the way he wanted. She could never love him anyway.

"I am so glad," he said, the honey in his words genuine. This did not dissuade her, not in the slightest. "I love..."

"Shut up," she said, intentionally making her words harsh. "I do not love you, and I never will."

"Wh-what?!" the hurt in his voice was matched by the shock on his face.

"I know," she began, this time more gently, "that my father was arranging for us to be wed, but I do not wish that for myself."

"The arrangement is made," he replied, gathering his indignation. "Were it not for us being here, we would have..."

"I know. Ramon, I do not want to hurt you, but I cannot be with you."

"Don't tell me..." he trailed off, abject horror clear in the shaking finger which pointed at her jacket. "You... and... that human?!"

"Yes," she replied simply, "and his name is Lisker."

"Stupid woman," Ramon snarled, and Maria felt her own anger rise in response. "How could you confuse rape for love?!"

"Quiet!" hissed the Thunderian to her left. "You want them to come in here?"

"Listen to me, Ramon, because I will only explain this once. Lisker has done nothing to me, but he has done much for me. I have given myself to him, completely and freely. I love him, not you, and he loves me too."

"Idiot," Ramon said, his low voice dripping with venom. "I could give you whatever you want."

"No, you would give me everything but what I need."

"I could give you a child," Ramon said smugly. Were it not for the chains she wore, Maria would have slapped him for sinking so low. "*That*, he can never give you." Maria looked at him, clearly seeing him for the first time, and could feel nothing but disgust at him, at the archaic custom of arranging marriages. In pointing out the one thing Lisker could never do for her, and in such a spiteful manner, Ramon showed her exactly what her marriage to him would have been. A sham, nothing more. She would have been a mere symbol, a way of joining two families which had comfortable holdings.

"You could," she growled, "but so could any male Wollo. Don't act as though that fact makes you special." Maria, fuming with anger that bordered on rage, set her jaw tight and her gaze firmly forward.

"At least I *am* a Wollo." Maria pretended not to hear him. If she acknoweledged him now, she would not be able to prevent herself from trying to beat him into a pulp. So much noise would bring the Mutants guarding them in, and if they found the keys she had hidden on her, Lisker's planning would become all for nothing.

Hurry, she thought though she knew Lisker could not hear it.

Cheetara crouched low behind a boulder which pointed to the stars like a jagged finger, immersing herself in the shadows which the artificial lights mounted on poles that dotted the grounds had not managed to banish. Her speed was her best ally on intelligence missions, and one she had counted on over and over again in her years as a ThunderCat.

"Can you believe this shit?" asked a Scavenger, a tawny jackal, to the reptillian who was helping him mount a fixed cannon onto its support platform. "The slaves oughtta be doing the hard work, not us!"

Yes, she thought, why *are* you doing real work when you've got so many enslaved?

"You heard Grune," the Reptillian said, "he doesssn't want the ssslaves near these weaponss!"

"Bullshit, Karg, total bullshit and you know it! It's that fucking Lisker's fault we're busting our asses out here in the middle of the fucking night!"

Lisker? Cheetara's eyes widened in surprise. What did Lisker have to do with the Mutants not forcing slaves to do the heavy work? More than a tad curious, Cheetara remained silent in waiting.

"Why doess he care about a bunch of sslavess?" the Reptillian, Karg, asked. "They're ssuppossed to be put to work! That'ss the whole damn point!"

Strange, she thought, sprinting lightly away from the griping Mutants. She had better things to do than listen to a discourse on the points and pros of enslaving others. Cheetara kept to the shadows, dashing from one well of concealment to another around stacks of stone blocks and crates of weapons to the long rectangles of the slave pens roughly in the center of the morass of supplies and contstruction materials. She stopped behind a pile of thick gray slabs, her staff extending to lift her silently to the top. Moonlight washed over the stones, leaving her dangerously exposed until she dropped flat on her toned stomach to eliminate her profile. It was as close to the pens as she could possibly get, the area about them blazing with hazardous light.

No guards, she noticed at once. The Mutants would never make the mistake of leaving their slave pens unguarded. Cheetara focused her sixth sense as well as she was able, reaching out with her mind to the long metal structures. Though limited, the sense confirmed what she had inferred from eavesdropping on the two earlier and the sight of Mutants actually working. The slaves weren't in the pens. They weren't on the construction site. They were either inside Fortress Plun-Darr itself, or on the Mutant ships.

They know we're coming, Cheetara thought, as she crawled slowly back to the shadowed edge behind her. They don't know we're already here. Surprise is still on our side. Also, they would not have to worry about their countrymen or the Wollos getting caught in a crossfire. Still, what did Lisker have to do with that, and how did Grune find out that...

Lisker, she realized. He somehow got the information from Sho's mind. Even so, something did not sight right with her. They were acting as if they had plenty of time to prepare, not that the attack could come at any moment. Had Lisker given them false information?

Using her staff, Cheetara gently lowered herself back into the shadows and retraced her route to make her exit. One had to know, after all, when one's luck had been pressed enough.

"So," Lion-O said, "are we talking about the same Lisker?" Her tale so far did not add up to the Lisker he had formed in his mind.

"I know this is hard to believe," Laheela said, breathless, "but I swear it is true. He killed the Mutants who were about to torture me for the codes to lock the Starsweeper, Pillage, and Bludgeon's main computers to the Ravager's."

"How does he know we're here?" Lion-O asked.

"Beg pardon, but he was tracking that one," Laheela replied, pointing at Sho. "He claims to..."

"Son of a BITCH!" Sho shouted, crouching down and holding his head in his hands. "I should've known! Damnit!"

"Sho?"

"I focused so hard on keeping him outta my head that..."

"He was more easily able to trace your position," Lynx-O added. "Most unfortunate."

"Unfortunate's not the word I'd use. DAMNIT!"

"What's this?" Cheetara asked on sprinting into the group and sighting the battered form of Laheela addressing the ThunderCats. Brief explanations followed, eliciting a frown from her. "Strange, this does seem to correlate with what I saw at the grounds of Plun-Darr."

"What did you see?" Lion-O asked, confused. Of all the things that could pop up at the last minute...

"The Mutants are expecting us, but not for a while yet. Also, they're setting up defenses themselves, rather than having their slaves do the dirty work. They're not happy about that, either."

"So," Panthro said, "Laheela, you say all the slaves are aboard the Ravager?"

"Yes. Sir Panthro," she replied breathlessly. "Please, some of your forces must be sent there so all of them can escape!"

"I can confirm what she's saying," Sho added, his face twisted in anger. "I'll have to contact Lisker, but..."

"Do it," Lion-O ordered. "If Lisker knows we're here, then there's not much more that can go wrong."

"On it."

Sho closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts on the point of mental activity which had to be Guyver Two, locking in with all his available power.

(LISKER!)

(You trying to blow my brains out?) Lisker's mental voice answered.

(What's the meaning of this?! What the hell are you planning?)

(Take a look,) he replied. (You can do that, can't you? None of us have time for a debate, so just look at my memories and see the truth for youself.)

(Fine.) Sho focused on the link between them, delving into the miasma of mental images from Lisker's memories. He ignored everything up until...

(You truly are a good man, Oswald Lisker.)

Images of Maria danced across his mind's eye, the love Lisker felt for her for a time becoming his own as more memories flashed across his perceptions. Weapons being left for Maria and the slaves to find, hatred for Grune, Laheela being rescued...

(Gotten enough of a look, Sho?)

(You're serious, aren't you?)

(As a heart attack, kid.)

(Why...)

(Shut up. We don't have time for this. You know the score, tell the others. Time matters, and we don't have much.)

(How do I know this isn't a trap?)

(For God's sake, Sho, you just looked at my fucking memories. How much more proof do you need?!)

(Fine. But, if you so much as think about hurting Cheetara...)

(You'll know. Fine. Whatever. Just get your ass in gear!)

Sho broke his connection with Lisker.

"Well?" Lion-O asked impatiently once Sho's eyes opened once again.

"He's on the level with this," the human replied, clearly puzzled. "I don't really understand why, but he's on our side this time."

"You're sure?"

"It's kinda tough to lie to someone who can search your memories like a file folder. It's just like Laheela said."

Lion-O remained silent, turning the newest development over and over and not really liking it. Lisker was an enemy, one with a personal axe to grind with two of his own fighters. Though he hated to think it, Laheela may have been fooled into bringing them this information as a means to lure them into a trap.

For a moment, Lion-O found himself frozen in indecision.

"Cheetara," he began, "tell us all what you saw."

"Like I said before," she said, "the Mutants are expecting us, but not for a few more days at least. Also, they're mounting defenses themselves instead of forcing their slaves to do it. That in and of itself is rather odd."

"That isn't because of Grune," Panthro added. "He wouldn't care one way or the other if our people were in chains."

"From what I saw, Lisker didn't like them being enslaved one bit," Sho offered.

"Sho, how well do you know Lisker?"

"I only met him once before his control medal brought him back, and that was when I first butted heads with him. I don't know him well, but his memories were genuine. If those were false images I saw, I'd know."

"Cheetara, do you know where the others are?"

"All I know is that they're not in the slave pens or near the defensive preparations," she replied. "Either in Fortress Plun-Darr itself, incomplete as it is, or as Laheela said they're aboard the Ravager."

"That is where they are, my king," Laheela said, her voice pleading.

"And he brought you here to tell us," Sho said. "Once you hit that signaller you have palmed, he'll start smacking the Mutant Army around."

"Yes." Laheela held the small device aloft for everyone to see. "Lisker has the second, and Maria the third. She will begin freeing the rest once she gets the signal, and the Ravager should be under our control by the time we get there."

Not what I expected, Lion-O thought, not at all.

So, what to do?

He had only one option.

"Turmagar, how soon can your forces be ready?"

"Final preparations are alrady complete," the Tuska commander said. "We can charge within the hour."

"Laheela. You will take Myrlha and Tygra with you to secure the Ravager."

"Yes!"

"Maybe I oughtta do that," Panthro protested.

"No. Mutant control setups aren't known for being real sophisticated. Besides, Grune's no idiot. He'll pay attention to who's with the main assault party. If he doesn't see you, Panthro, he might suspect something's up."

"And, if Grune does not see me," Tygra added, "he'll just assume I've become invisible."

"How far away are the Mutant ships, Cheetara?"

"A mile or two west of Fortress Plun-Darr. Maybe fifteen minutes from here."

It was a gamble, Lion-O realized, but one he had been forced to take.

"The rest of us will proceed as planned. Right now, our objective is to keep the Mutant Army busy until the ships can be secured. Sho, transform and link up with the bombers. You know what to do from there."

"You know it," Sho said, turning to follow Turmagar to the Gomplin staging area. Farther back from where the ThunderCats had landed, the beasts and warriors had gathered in anticiaption.

"My fellow warriors," Turmagar began, drawing the attention of the other Tuskas, "one of our finest hours has begun." Sho remained still and silent at the Tuska commander went on.

"Due to unforseen circumstances, our part in this battle to free the countrymen of the ThunderCats is to happen far sooner. I expect weapons and manpower to be ready in one hour!"

"YES, SIR!" the Tuska warriors shouted in unison.

It should have been the worst hour of what Sho could recall of his life, yet it seemed familiar to the point of being pedantic and slightly irritating. He found himself to be pacing relentlessly, awaiting something which he knew must occur and yet found that he could scarcely wait for. It was the event, he realized, not the waiting he was so anxious for. The coming of the final truth, the reason for his existence and, Sho suspected, perhaps a great deal more.

If nothing else, he mused, the Mutants were going to have one hell of a bad night.

Back and forth he paced, until Turmagar tapped him politely on the shoulder.

"It's time," the walrus-like commander said.

"I understand." Sho departed for the clearest stretch of land he could find. "GUYVER!" Power rushed along his nerves as the barrier feild smashed the night air, the bio-booster armor appearing into reality and merging with him to leave him fully transformed with tiny wisps of steam rolling off of him into the dark. He took in Turmagar's wide-eyed stare and gave a short nod before activating the gravity controller and shooting straight into the inky darkness. He hovered motionless as the whines of small turbine engines reached him. One by one, the Gomplins rose upward in a circle of beast and machine, their clawed feet and hands carrying miniature explosives. Restless, he looked down to see the bright lifeglow of Tygra, Myrlha, and Laheela racing toward the Mutant ships. The attack had to begin before they could arrive at their destination. At last, the ThunderStrike rose to join the air forces and, without a command, all moved forward.

Drop yer cocks and grab yer socks, Mutants, Sho thought as he recalled an ancient slogan from air forces around Second Earth. Time to feel some hurt!

The sudden buzzing against her left chest, though she had been waiting breathlessly for it, still shocked Maria once it began. After stifiling a gasp, she raised a manacled hand to the secret pocket she had sewn in her jacket and pulled out the vibrating signaller. Her muscles tensed as she kissed it, knowing that all the chips were now on the table. Time to do her part.

Breathless with nerves positively *singing*, Maria reached once more into her pocket while ignoring the whispered question of the Thunderian sitting next to her. She produced a single key, which she used to free her wrists and ankles.

"Listen to me," she said to him, as she gave him the key, "there is a way out for us. The ThunderCats are attacking the Mutants right now. We must get this ship ready."

"What?" the old one, whose name she recalled to be Siberias, asked in stunned surprise.

"Trust me. A plan has been laid out. I ask you to trust me. We *must* get this ship under out control. Pass the word along."

"I shall," he said, accepting the key. Maria wasted no time, selecting another Thunderian to give a key and whisper for her to begin freeing others. Lisker had told her not to give the key to one of her own. The Thunderians had been slaves for far longer, and would be even more determined to rally than the enslaved Wollos. Maria placed complete trust in him, and it was far too late to back down now.

With the third key in hand, she rushed along the rows of manacled people to a gathering of five who had no bench space free. Panting, she pulled free the third key and unlocked their chains before asking them to vacate the floor panel on which they sat.

"What is this?" the lionesque male, whose name she recalled was Torr added as he stood unfettered beside his wife. Maria crouched, snatching desperately at the grated floorplates in an attempt to pry them up.

"Freedom," she replied, muscles straining.

"Let me, then," Torr said as he grasped the floor panel and added his strength to her own. The metal plate popped open, and Maria did not hesitate to slide it aside in order to expose the weapons beneath. Torr reached in and hefted one experimentally.

"How did these get here?" he whispered, astonished that such things had been under more than his nose.

"This has been Lisker's plan from the beginning," Maria explained as more curious slaves neared and gasped at the small arrangement of weapons exposed beneath the floor. "He gave me the keys to our chains, and stashed weapons for us to use. We have to get this ship completely under control before the ThunderCats arrive."

"The Nobility comes?" asked a female to her right.

"Calm down, calm down," Torr said quietly. "Let this Wollo speak."

"I know these weapons are few," Maria went on, "but Lisker has hidden more in the other holding areas. Unfortunately, he was unable to steal as many as he wanted. That's why he gave me this." The collective gasps and murmurs of surprise created a hum in the air as she held aloft the master card key. By then, nearly all of the collective Thunderians, Wollos, and Brute Men had been freed for a total of nearly forty people. Of that number, though, she was uncertain how many could fight. Maria could only hope it would be enough.

Torr glanced at his mate, the woman who made him whole, and Kyranna nodded. For him, for the cubs he wanted to have with her, it was impetus enough. Grasping the energy rifle he'd pulled from the secret compartment, he stood atop a recently vacated bench and raised the weapon above his head.

Time to man up, he thought.

"Brothers. Sisters. Everyone, Listen, please." Heads turned to him, Thunderian and Wollo alike as more shackles clattered softly to the floor. Torr took as deep a breath as his anxious nerves would let him, also checking that his line of fire to the sealed doorway was unobstructed. Standing atop the sitting space ensured that it was clear. He'd need that.

"Now is our time," he began, his voice gaining strength as adrenaline surged into his blood and purpose swelled his breast. He let his voice gain volume as well, he wanted everyone, particularly the Mutants he knew to be stationed on the opposite side of that door. "We have worn chains long enough! No more will our backs feel the bite of Mutant whips! No more will they beat us! No more will they torture us for their sick amusement! No more will they drag us to their beds as slabs of meat for their pleasure!" Eyes were hardening, fires long thought by their captors to be extinguished flickering to life in some, flaring into roaring existence in others.

"The ThunderCats and their allies come to free us from our bondage, but they need our help to carry the day!" Never an orator before, Torr did not allow himself to be surprised at the sudden ease the role came to him. "My countrymen, my friends, rally! For years, as our people were sold, as they died, our mantra was 'One Day'. I tell you, that day is now! Our days of bowing and scraping..."

"CAN IT IN THERE!"

"... are over!" Torr continued, ignoring the bellowed command. The gathered Thunderians began to bare their teeth as each and every moment of pain and degradation flashed in their minds, and the thought of making the Mutants pay for them all.

"LISKER OR NO LISKER, WE'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA EACH ONE OF YOU!" the Simian guard roared. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

"Through all of this, we have not abandoned hope! Now, we are rewarded! Tonight, my countrymen, WE FIGHT! WE WILL FIGHT, AND WE SHALL WIN!" Torr stood gasping at the end of his impromptu speech as cheers and roars of rage at the Mutants buffeted him. The intense reaction, and his strange place as instigator of this rebellion, nearly caused him to miss the sound of the door sliding open. Torr shouldered the ion rifle and took careful aim as the first barricade to be overcome revealed one of the guards in a square of sickly yellow light. The Simian stepped in, for a second unaware that none of the slaves were wearing their chains. It was the last second he would waste.

"FOR OUR PEOPLE!" Torr screamed from the pit of his stomach as he squeezed the trigger. The pale green bolt of energized ions leapt from the rifle, the guard's head evaporating into a crimson mist. Torr took aim once more when the second guard's shadow appeared in the square of light. Hesitating not for a second, Torr fired another bolt which burned through the second Mutant's head and collapsed him onto the cold metal floor. Two headshots, not too shabby. The skills his mother had taught him for hunting had not faded as much as he'd feared.

"So, what next?" asked Selwyn, the architect among them. Torr froze for a moment, that one question lancing the heat of elation with a cold splash of reaity. Every eye was looking to him for guidance, and the young Lion nearly choked.

"Do you know where the weapons are in the other holding cells?" he asked the Wollo.

"Yes."

"Right. Those of us who are most able-bodied, take what weapons are here. We'll make for where the others are held and arm ourselves further. The more we free, the more difficult it will be for the Mutants to stop us."

"We must move now!" roared a voice from the throng.

"Then, let's move!" Torr shouted. "We are slaves no longer!" He stepped down from his improptu soapbox and into the arms of Kyranna, who wasted no time in kissing him passionately.

"I knew there was a reason I married you," she said with a mischevious wink before becoming serious. "Be careful. Please, Torr, I can't lose you."

"You won't," he said with more confidence than he felt.

Good job, Laheela, Lisker thought when the signaller began to buzz. He looked toward where the ThunderCats had made base camp and noticed several heat signatures approaching, several things he'd never seen before, a machine which split into three parts, and Sho. They'd brought an air force? Lisker shook his head in amusement. Those ThunderCats, it seemed, didn't do things piecemeal.

Each time he'd bio-boosted since his last confrontation with Sho, strange dreams would follow which showed him several interesting things the armor could do. The head beam and flying it had shown him immediately once he'd witnessed the other Guyver perform them.

He glanced down in time to see several Mutants gazing about at the approaching noise, and he floated easily away from his perch. From Grune's increasingly alarmed shouts, the bastard had put two and two together faster than the Mutants, but it would do him no good. This part of the plan was successful. The Thunderian stood well away from the functional cannons situated about the perimeter, which was too bad, but Lisker wanted the Mutants unable to mount any effective ranged assault against the coming forces. As the enraged Grune screamed Lisker's name followed by a string of epithets and hollow vows of retribution, he commanded the gravity controller to summon the sphere of the pressure cannon.

"DAMN YOU, LISKER!" Grune screamed as the approaching sounds of aerial vehicles neared and the true traitor was finally revealed. That triple-damned human had hidden behind Chilla's obvious scheming nature and his own indifference and had lied outright about the ThunderCats only getting underway!

"Form a defensive perimeter!" he bellowed, an act which came easily to him, and pointed to the nearest group of dumbfounded Mutants. "They're here already! Fight, damn your hides, FIGHT! Get those cannons..."

Grune was cut off by a set of three hammering explosions and his jaw went slack at the sight of four functiounal cannons erupting into balls of flame. Scattered dismembered Mutant limbs flew helter-skelter from the blast zone. The light of the blazing wreckage lent a hellish tint to the steady artificial lighting which came from halogen bulb racks atop thin metal poles.

Grune roared his rage as the sounds of aircraft passed overhead, yet his blood ran cold at the sight of a blue-armored figure landing squarely in the middle of the panicking Mutants. Guyver One wasted no time in extending the blades on his arms and began laying waste to Mutant soldiers with abandon.

Grune retreated away from the site of battle. Best to rally his troops in areas not yet affected by the surprise attack.

Sho ceased all concentration on the gravity controller and landed in a crouch amid dozens of stupefied Mutants. He sprang forward, commanding the sonic swords to engage and slashed a monkey-like Mutant in two from shoulder to hip before giving the same to a jackal-type. Mutant after Mutant fell to his blades as the three parts of the ThunderStrike led the Gomplins to the stretch of land on which the Nosedivers and Skycutters had been arranged until suitable storage facilities could be built. Without those, the Mutant's combat capabilities would be far more manageable. In the meantime, he had to soften up the footsoldiers as much as he could until Lion-O arrived with the main ground assault.

He caught a glimpse of Lisker's armored form landing amid a clump of Mutants several feet away and tensed even more. Even if he was an ally, Lisker was no friend. Even so, it seemed that Guyver Two was keeping up his part of this assault...

(Remember, kid,) his voice said over their telepathic link, (in combat, the only sin is hesitation.)

(Less thought, more fight!) Sho replied, grasping the heads of two Jackals and smashing them together with enough force to reduce their craniums to tomato sauce. (I've got my eye on you.)

(Yeah, yeah, whatever. Worry less about your precious Cheetara and more about kicking Mutant ass!)

(...)

Mutant guards had been surprisingly light, Maria was pleased to discover as she kept pace behind the twelve armed Thunderians. Any they had discovered had been cut down by beams from the rifles Lisker had stashed in their holding cell on sight, and none had come at them from behind or the side corridors. Before this place, before Lisker, Maria would have balked at such killing. Now, however, she knew that their captors had to perish. It was the only way to ensure freedom for those enslaved here.

She carried no weapon, trusting the armed men and women to keep her safe as they navigated the twisting corridors of the Ravager's lower decks. Behind their rag-tag group were five armed Thunderians covering their backs as the group charged along one corridor after another until finding themselves before a massively thick door guarded by three Mutants.

It was no contest.

Maria ignored the stink of bunt Mutant flesh as she raised the master keycard to the reader panel situated on the right side of the doorway. The two halves of the metal door slid laboriously open to reveal even more chained Thunderians, Wollos, and Brute Men sitting on hard benches looking up in alarm.

"Countrymen!" Torr shouted as the three who had been entrusted with shackle keys raced among the bound ones and Maria shot to the spot where more weapons were hidden. "Our enslavement is over! The Nobility is on this world, and now they fight for our lives! We must help them!" Dozens of sets of eyes regarded him in pure bewilderment, the rifle in his hands drawing the most stares before three of the unarmed Thunderians darted in amongst them bearing keys with Maria leading one to the very center.

"Is this true?" asked a Cheetah female, her naturally lean body showing scars from whips.

"Torr is telling the truth," Kyranna said, unlocking her chains and offering the other a look of determination. "The ThunderCats are fighting for us right now alongside their allies on this world. We have to get this ship under our control!"

"Then let's do this!" shouted a young Lynx boy. "I knew Myrlha would bring help!"

"Your name?" Torr asked, recognizing him as the one to find the fissure Myrlha and Salvador had to have used to escape.

"Lynxran," the kitten replied.

"That fissure you found worked, young man," Torr said with a wide grin. "Thank you."

"Give me a weapon, Torr," Lynxran said, his face and eyes resolute.

"No, you're too young."

"I can fight!" the Lynx shouted as Maria and two other Wollos pried open the floorplates to reveal more stashed weapons.

"I know you want to," Kyranna said, kneeling next to him, "but we need you to stay with those who can't fight. I know you're brave, but you must stay out of the action. There are other kittens on this ship. Please, take care of them," she finished, embracing the kitten. Torr suddenly recalled him more clearly, an orphan. Poor kit. "You're among the oldest of the kittens. Gather them to you, and keep them safe."

"I will," Lynxran said, clearly disappointed yet determined. "I won't let you down."

Torr took stock of the armed Thunderians holding position and watching for approaching Mutants as weapons were distributed among those able to fight. Maria appeared at his side with a hopeful smile and the master keycard still in hand.

Command decision time.

"Maria."

"Yes, Torr?"

"There are four more holding pens. Once we liberate them, I would like you to do something for us."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Once the rest are liberated, give the master keycard to me. I know where the armories are, and we can arm ourselves from there. I'll send some of us to lead the rest of your people, those unable to fight, and the Brute Men to the slave's mess. Go with them, and help keep them calm. The bridge will no doubt be more heavily guarded..."

At that moment, bolts of red energy began to lance down the corridor amid shouts of armed Thunderians hitting the deck and returning fire. Torr leapt into the fray in time to see four Mutants gunned down in spectacular fashion and immediately checked for any dead or wounded. A few Brute Men suffered minor flesh wounds, which the poor beastmen seemed to hardly notice.

Close, he thought, way too close.

"We are too close together," Siberias said, inspecting the minor injuries and nodding. "We cannot move as a single mass group."

"I should have thought of that," Torr said through gritted teeth.

"Why not send the rearward fighters to escort them to the slave's mess?" Selwyn asked. Enough of us are armed now."

"Right," Torr replied, asking that word be passed to their armed countrymen taking up the rear.

"From the sound of things," Panthro said as the ThunderTank raced to the perimeter of Fortress Plun-Darr, "they're really tearing it up over there!" Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens, willing it to battle length and searching out targets as they raced closer. Cheetara manned the turret in the rear compartment, its three barrels primed and ready. With battle coming closer at nearly a mile a minute, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline that tingled his nerves and heated his blood. This time, he vowed, the Mutant Army would be destroyed. His people would be freed from their chains, along with the innocent people of Third Earth who had been dragged into the thick of this mess.

If, that was, Lisker was true to his word.

They passed the hard-charging forces of Turmagar and his footsoldiers, who had marched ahead of the ThunderTank to ensure that both groups reached the battlefield as close to simultaneously as possible. Moments later, he saw that his trust in Sho; and his reluctant trust in Lisker, had paid off at the sight of several wrecked cannon emplacements and scattered Mutant remains amid the burning piles of scrap. The two Guyvers certainly hadn't wasted any time in dealing with the Mutants, or fighting each other. Simians and Scavengers were dashing about in complete disarray as the blue- and gold-armored warriors moved among them cutting down one enemy after another just as enormous balls of fire bloomed on the opposite side of the incomplete framework of Fortress Plun-Darr, tinting the immediate area of sky a deep and hellish red.

Cheetara set the rear turrets to auto, placing them under the control of the ThunderTank's targeting computers before leaping out to join Lion-O in the fray. She immediately charged into a group of Simians who were busy running for all they were worth from the carnage the two Guyvers were dishing out and knocked their legs out from beneath them before delivering lightning-quick jabs to their throats with the tip of her staff. A quick check showed Lion-O engaging two Scavengers, the Sword of Omens slashing true and removing their vacant heads with a single stroke.

So long as they could keep the Mutants off-balance, Tygra would have all the time he needed to reach the Ravager with Myrlha and Laheela. She knew that the sheer numbers of the Mutant Army were against them no matter how many individual footsoldiers they took down. This assault had to wrap up fast, or those selfsame numbers would eventually crush them. A battle of attrition was one they stood no chance of winning.

"Targets in sight," Lynx-O's voice said over the comm circuit. Bengali bared his teeth as the grouped Skycutters and Nosedivers appeared on the blasted plain beneath. His targeting systems already online, he and the pod which carried the woman he loved streaked downward. The second the targeting sight went red, Bengali hammered the firing button on the steering yoke as fast as he was able. The twin bolts of blue energy sent several Mutant vehicles up in balls of red-orange flame even as Mutants were hard-charging toward their mechanized mounts. As planned, the three sections of the ThunderStrike completed their strafing run just when the Gomplins flew overhead. Bengali watched as the beasts released the munitions as they dove and streaked above the assembled machines and the mini-bunker busters did their destructive work. Mutant and machine were both reduced to their component parts with each earth-shaking explosion as the three-acre motor pool was carpet bombed into scrap and carrion fodder.

"We didn't get them all," he snarled as blazing wreckage lightened the night with a false corona.

"Perhaps, but we have more than one pass," Lynx-O said in return. "Another pass should be sufficient."

For Pumyra, each explosion was an assurance that the cub inside her would have a chance to grow up in a peaceful world. Each lance of energy fired from the pod she controlled carried the promise of a life free from the constant worry of Mutant raids and the rigors of war. She had no clue if this was true or merely something to tell herself in order to avoid paroxysms of terror at the thought of what an unlucky shot could mean to her and her child, and pushed that thought as far from her mind as she could. Instead, she allowed herself to feel a vicious joy at seeing so many Mutant war machines going up in flames. So far, so good, she told herself.

Though she couldn't see the battle proper, Myrlha heard every explosion that split the night and saw in the distance the flaring lights of fireballs which consumed those who had once been her captors. She did not slow, keeping pace with Tygra and Laheela as they rushed toward the idle Mutant starships. She knew next to nothing about Lisker, and had no clue as to why he would go to such lengths to ensure the defeat of his supposed allies, but there was no time for further contemplation. The small pistol the Tuskas had provided her felt somewhat awkward against her hip, and the warrior's admonishments to be extremely careful with the projectile weapon remained firm in her mind, but a weapon was a weapon.

Fifteen shots, she repeated to herself, here's hoping I won't put one in my own damn foot.

Tygra, shy and non-violent by nature, still found himself wishing he were with the main assault party as though his presence might be a critical factor. As his feet slapped against the soil in rapid succession he reminded himself what was at stake in his mission and how crucial it was to the success of this battle.

Even so, he took a measure of joy at the false dawn which was the result of Mutant war machines being bombed out of existence.

The hulking figure of the Ravager drew closer, the port side of the immense green vessel lined and pitted with impacts from space-borne debris and battles fought. Aboard were his countrymen, and any Mutants who were left to guard...

"HOLD..."

The Simian who had emerged from around the ship's bow fell at the sharp crack of one of the weapons Turmagar had given Myrlha and Laheela, a neat hole in his bare chest and blood pouring from it. Another sharp report, another hole, and the Mutant fell to the dirt.

Tyrga looked behind to find Laheela holding the gun in a two-handed grip which the Tuskas had hastily shown them. Smoke wafted from the barrel which she held steady as a rock and there was a look of pure hate in the Tygress's eyes. Given what she had obviously been through, her outfit marked her a former concubine, Tygra found he honestly couldn't blame her the feeling.

"Nice shot," Myrlha said with a grin.

"I've waited so long for that."

"Let's hurry," Tygra said, snapping her gaze to him. "The others won't hold out forever!"

"The door should be open by now!" Laheela exclaimed. "They must not have control of the bridge yet!"

"Better be careful once we're inside, then!"

In The Next Episode:

The battle rages on as the forces of the ThunderCats war against the might of the Mutant Army. With their war machines reduced to hot slag, the Mutants begin to call upon their superior numbers to turn the tide. Tygra, Myrlha, and Laheela break into the Ravager to help the now-freed Thunderians in their fight to control the Mutant flagship. Can the uneasy alliance between Guyver One and Guyver Two help the main assault force hold the Mutant Army long enough for Lisker's plan to succeed, or will a battle of attrition spell the downfall of Third Earth's mightiest bastions of goodness? All this and more in The Fight For Their Freedom: Part Two, the next episode of One Last War To Fight.


	26. The Fight for Their Freedom, Part Two

ThunderCats

Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

One Last War To Fight

Episode Twenty-Six

_This is the way it should be,_ Oswald Lisker thought as his blades cleaved Mutants where they stood, most still unable to comprehend just what had happened exactly. More were getting the picture and racing for cover and for weapons. A beam from a small hand pistol grazed his upper left arm, the Guyver itself feeling no pain from the minor injury. In a fit of pique, Lisker located the Mutant holding the weapon and snapped off a quick burst from the head beam. The Jackal's head parted ways from his shoulders to fall unceremoniously to the dirt.

He could feel the emotions rolling off of Guyver One, courage and determination coupled with blood-red rage as he brought low Mutants with utter abandon. Lisker was nearly astonished at the level of anger the younger man possessed.

_No... More than that..._ As he cleaved another Mutant in two, he recognized a certain sense of pride from Sho's mind, pride in what he was fighting for. Lisker could relate, being a former Marine. It was almost like the pride he'd often felt when the Stars and Stripes were unfurled each day.

_I haven't felt like that in so long. I almost forgot._ Pride in what one was fighting for... Lisker felt that once more as they both cleaved Mutant soldiers. _This is what it feels like to be a soldier again_, he thought as another Mutant fell to death.

For Panthro, secure within the armored hide of the ThunderTank, it was like a living shooting gallery as the auto-targeting systems guided the ion blasters within the raised paws and the three-barrelled turret in the rear. He throttled forward and steered toward a group of Simians who looked to be rallying others and grinned at their stunned expressions on the virtual screen which replaced the windscreen when the top cover was sealed. They never had a chance as he roared through.

_The first bombing run oughtta be done now,_ he thought as small impacts registered on his readout. _That'll slow them down, but it won't stop them._ The reality of the situation was never far from his mind. Despite having now gained air superiority, the Mutants still had ground superiority to spare. If Tygra couldn't get those ships off the ground, this assault would be all for nothing.

He checked the positions of Sho and Lisker, who were tearing Mutant fighters apart left right and center.

_Even with their help, this is gonna be tight..._

Grune choked down the rage which sent his blood pressure into places that would kill a lesser man as he shouted for the Mutants to rally against the attacking ThunderCats and Tuskas. For the most part, the training Primor had put his forces through was taking over as Mutants raced for cover and weapons, but the sight of those two bastard Guyvers tearing their own into chunks of wet meat had many of them panicked. Enough of them had seen the power of a Guyver in the first assault and the attack on Castle Plun-Darr to know what challenging two of them head-on would bring.

He had charged into the center of the grounds of Fotress Plun-Darr, and word had preceeded him. On the far side of the incomplete fortress, night had become dawn as the assembled war machines burned and exploded. He knew his ability to repel the attack had plummetted with their loss and once again cursed Oswald Lisker for the human's betrayal.

_Fuck this,_ he thought, giving up the mantle of Commander of the Mutant Army. He had been a ThunderCat once, and he knew how well they could handle the long odds. With both Guyvers on their side, his former countrymen had a damn good chance of pulling off the assault. Grune knew they were after the Ravager. That had to be it.

_Let them have the damn thing._ He stopped trying to bellow orders as he drew his Thundrainium mace. _Once that crate's airborne, the ThunderCats will retreat._ Some of them had to be headed there, and Grune toyed with the idea of intercepting whomever they had sent.

On the other hand, if that one was already aboard, there'd be little point. If he took out Lion-O, then this whole fiasco would be worthwhile. A savage grin smeared itself onto his face as Grune dashed through screaming Mutants to scout out his main target. Lion-O would die this night, if he had anything to say about it.

And, Grune felt he had a hell of a lot to say about that very thing.

The airlock had opened onto near silence, which had immediately sent Tygra's nerves even more on edge than he thought possible. As they charged toward the main bridge, where Laheela had said their countrymen were headed, the only sound had been their pounding feet and their rapid breathing. Laheela and Myrlha looked to be holding up well, at least.

Laheela, who knew the twists and turns of the Ravager even better than her former co-captive Myrlha, led the way with the pistol the Tuskas had provided her raised in a two-handed grip at her shoulder. The flat black metal of the weapon lent it a somehow ominous appearance, as though death was the only thing it was meant for. Tygra knew this to be illogical, even ridiculous, but he had seen the damage it had inflicted on that Simian who had accosted them earlier. All his life, he had been accustomed to beam weapons and had never contemplated the damage projectile weapons such as the one both women carried could inflict.

They were primitive compared to Thunderian firearms, but _damned_ effective.

"Laheela!"

"Yes?!"

"Be careful in here!"

"I won't shoot my countrymen!" she shouted in reply. More corridors passed as the trio rushed toward the main bridge.

_Where the hell _are _they?!_

Torr ducked back as another volley of energy blasts seared the air in the passage which the remaining Mutant guards had claimed. Reinforcements from the other ships were on their way, he knew, and they layout of the Ravager's corridors made flanking them impossible. He had no idea how many Mutants held the bridge, but the narrow space behind which the armed fighters were bottled up made finding out a tricky situation. He bumped into Maria as he stepped away, and winced that she was still with them. The Wollo woman wanted to see this through to the end, and had proven stubborn as a Panther once her mind had been set.

"Pass the word," he said to Kyranna, "all the rearward fighters are to set up firing positions. We can expect Mutants from the other ships to come rushing toward us."

"I understand," she replied, dashing off to relay his order. They would be pinned if things went on as they were.

_So many down,_ Sho thought as his foot cut a graceful arc to crush a Mutant jackal's skull, _but they're getting their act together._ As the battle progressed, he saw that the carnage he and Lisker were causing was having less and less of an effect on the Mutants, hardening their resolve. He noted several more impacts from beam weapons against the formidable shell of the Guyver, and wondered just how much of a direct pounding it could take. The Mutants, once their forces fully got into gear, would put that to a test he did not care to endure.

He focused a sensor medal briefly on Turmagar's forces.

_SHIT!_

They were taking a harder pounding than had been anticipated, the bulk of Mutant resistance having focused on them. If their own flanking force was itself out-flanked, the main assault team would be surrounded in mintues!

_(Lisker!)_

_ (What?!)_

Sho killed another Mutant as he focused his idea into Lisker's mind.

_(Got it,)_ Lisker thought back. _(Just let me know.)_

_(NOW!)_

Sho leapt up, focusing on the gravity controller as his feet found purchase on the empty sky. The Boost Stimulus Tissue on his back confirmed that Lisker had reached his altitude as he focused on the gravity conrtoller with Guyver Two in synch. Charging up the power took only seconds as several of the Tuskas fell to bursts of energy weapons. None of the charging Mutants looked upward until the black spheres had fully formed, and their shouted warnings came too late.

"PRESSURE..." Sho began.

"CANNON!" Lisker finished. From both pairs of outstretched hands, three orbs each of gravitic energy each streaked downward into the thickest knot of Mutant targets. The shockwaves generated by the detonations knocked the Mutants on the outer peripheries flat, some even colliding with bone-shattering force in mid-air while those within the blasts themselves were left as nothing more than wet stains on the dirt. Sho and Lisker continued their barrage, firing their respective head beams into those still somehow standing. More fire from Turmagar's warriors joined them and what would have turned the tide against the ThunderCats became a charnel house for the Mutants instead.

_(Never thought I'd say this,)_ Lisker's voice said in Sho's mind, _(but we make a pretty good team.)_

Sho did not bother to reply, merely turning his attention back to the ThunderCats, who were now facing more organized resistance. The ThunderTank had taken some serious hits, spots on the armor plating dented and smoking, but the cat-like machine still roared bolts of destruction like an angry metal beast.

_(Fine. Be that way.)_

"Sounds like some Mutants just had a bad day!" Cheetara shouted over the din of combat. Lion-O glanced at her, her staff extending as she twirled it with expert deftness and crashing into a jackal's head with a loud crack.

The massive wall which was comprised of Mutant screams and hammering explosions told him just how Turmagar's forces were faring. The two Guyvers had to have cleared the way for the Tuskas, but now his own force was facing a tide of Mutants which had shifted over to them like a wave.

_That's their game,_ Lion-O realized. _They're gonna hit where Sho and Lisker aren't._ He focused every ounce of his will, his power, pride and love for his friends and his people, into the Eye of Thundera as he drew the Sword of Omens to the side slowly as the Mutants charged. The blade began to glow, its light pulsing faster and faster as its hilt warmed and began to burn the flesh of his palm. _I'm Lord of the ThunderCats. High time I showed these Mutants why!_

"HOOOOOOOOOOO!" Lion-O swung the blade in a vicious, gleaming arc which sent a brilliant arc of sapphire energy straight into, and then through, the onrushing ranks of Mutants. He brought the edge back around, shifting his body to catch another group of them en masse. Some managed to scrabble out of the way, backpedaling in a panic at the display of power beyond anything he ever knew he could call from the Eye. From his right, he saw at the edge of his vision the ThunderTank perform a powerslide which knocked back Mutants that weren't unfortunate enough to be ground under its treads while the rear turrets blasted those the vehicle's body missed. Satisfied, Lion-O faced fully forward and raised the Sword of Omens above his head, its tip aimed toward the ground, and pushed even more strength into the Eye before stabbing it into the dirt with a final burst of energy.

Lines of pure force lanced outward, reaching into the hellish false dawn of burning war machines and exploding bombs. Deep furrows were carved in their wake before they converged onto a central point which burst into a dome of brilliant light before exploding outward in the center of the Mutant forces amid screams of pain and howls of terror. From the epicenter, the blast of raw power grew outward and upward as though swelling until a final burst released the pent-up energy which claimed more Mutants than the entire assault had until that point. Silence reigned on the battlefield afterward, the stunned amazement thick enough to be a physical presence.

"Holy _shit_!" Bengali swore as the pulse laid low a massive grouping of Mutant forces.

"That was indeed impressive," Lynx-O's voice said over the commlink, "however, we are not out of the woods just yet. My weapons are now drained."

"Same here," Pumyra added. "Bengali?"

"Damnit! Me, too," he said on checking the power gagues. "Totally dry."

"The Tuska air forces have retreated to restock," Lynx-O's voice said. "I estimate thrity minutes before they can re-enter the battle."

"What battle?" Bengali replied as the remaining Mutant forces regrouped at the edges of the crater Lion-O had made with the Sword's power. "Looks like it's... Oh, crap!"

Tygra came up short at the sight of them, their energy rifles raising just as Laheela recovered enough to take aim. Heart in his throat, he reached out to snag the Tygress's wrist and jerk it upward just as a woman shouted to hold fire.

"Jaga's cape," he said at the sight of his countrymen holding weapons. They slowly lowered their arms, gazing at his ThunderCat insignia and his face in that order. A slender woman with brilliant red hair glazed with black spots stepped forward, her face a study in amazement.

"Is that really you, Laheela?" the unidentified woman said, her eyes wide.

"It's me," she replied. "Myrlha brought help, just like she promised." What eyes weren't staring at him locked onto the Cougress just behind as she came forward and lowered her weapon.

"Listen up!" Myrlha shouted. "We have to get to the Ravager's bridge!"

"Several Mutants have it blocked off," a voice replied. "We can't get through!"

"How many?" Tygra asked, forming a plan in his mind.

"Eight, but their position is well secured," the unknown woman said. "Come, I will take you to Torr." The trio followed her, and Tygra had the good grace not to wince at the sight of his countrymen in such wretched condition. Each one held a weapon ready, yet was unable to bring it to bear in such cramped conditions. Tygra took in the sight of Torr, his Lion's frame near-wasted beneath the rags he wore yet his eyes shining with cunning.

"Sir ThunderCat!" he exclaimed.

"How many are waiting?" Tygra asked, cutting to the chase.

"Eight, but the corridor ahead is heavily defended."

"Then..." At that moment, the comm circuit in the hilt of his whip began to buzz.

_Maria, hurry up!_ Lisker thought as the remaining Mutants gathered their forces. As he drifted through the steadily brightening sky, he beheld the utter devastation wrought by the leader of the ThunderCats and that weird sword of his.

"I see why he calls the shots," Lisker said, his words muted with amazement. He was suddenly glad that such weapons hadn't existed during his time in armed service.

"Go, Lion-O!" Guyver One hooted just as Lisker saw the stealthly form approaching the now-exhausted ThunderCat. Just as with how he felt toward Maria, Lisker did not know what compelled him to act and did not care. The battlefield was not a place for soul searching.

Lion-O knelt, unable to will his body to obey. The Sword of Omens was all that kept him from sprawling face first on the bloodstained dirt. Breath came in deep gasps into burning lungs, bone-deep weariness doing its damndest to pull him into the abyss of unconsciousness. He had never even considered being able to draw that kind of raw power from the Eye of Thundera, and having done so had cost him. He couldn't move, even thinking seemed to require too much effort. The silence which now reigned was so complete that Lion-O thought he'd blown out his ears until Cheetara's voice pierced the veil of exhaustion which had draped over him.

"You did it!" she exclaimed, both in admiration and awe. "You turned the tide!" Lion-O managed the herculean effort of turning his head to look at her and was somehow able to focus the both of her into one image. Giving a reply, however, was yet beyond him. The sound of the ThunderTank's treads crunching protruding rocks met his ears as the machine came to a stop nearby.

"Great Jaga," Panthro said, his voice hushed. "How the _hell_ did you _do_ that?"

"... Don't know..." Lion-O gasped once his chest began to feel like oxygen was finally part of the air he breathed again. "Just... did it..."

"Either way, you don't look so hot," Panthro replied, his hands appearing on Lion-O's shoulders. "At least you bought us some serious breathing room."

Movement in the fading yet still undulating shadows crossed his field of vision caught his attention, yet he was too wasted to react to the sight of Grune streaking toward Cheetara's vulnerable flank. He saw her stiffen, spinning to face the oncoming attack and dashing forward. Grune, unfortunately, had come prepared.

The small flashbomb, barely larger than a small round stone, flew from his left hand while his mace was in its accustomed place in his right. The distance was several feet and, from Panthro's position beside an exhausted Lion-O, the dark-skinned warrior wouldn't be as dazzled as Cheetara.

_For once that speed works against you,_ he thought after shutting his eyes. The flashbomb went off with a sharp crack and a shout in her husky voice. Three ThunderCats, one he swore to kill and two just for the sheer hell of it, had their eyes squeezed shut against the sudden burst. Cheetara's staff had hit the ground, a hand over her dazzled eyes as his mace rose for the finish.

Lion-O blinked his eyes into a blurry vision of hell. He saw Grune charging her, spiked mace at the ready to end the life of the one who had taught him how to love, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop it other than shout feebly for the betrayer to stop.

Panthro charged.

He wasn't fast enough.

The mace came down.

Pain throbbed behind her eyes, and she knew she was going to die. There wasn't enough time, she'd been stunned for just a second, and that was all Grune would...

The mace fell, landing beside Cheetara's foot. Just before the pain displaced the sudden sensation of cold, Grune's eyes widened at the sight of it laying there with his right hand still attached to it, his wrist and arm likewise and terminating in a smoking mass of seared flesh. A savage impact from Panthro's fist slammed into his temple, further distancing him from the onrushing agony but briefly as he fell back in a dazed heap.

_My arm...?_ he thought numbly, locking his sight on the appendage which was no longer attached to him. Cheetara began to fall, the effects of the thundrainium beginning their work, and the pain cleared all clouding haze from his mind. From mid-bicep down, there was only empty space.

"You know," the oddly distorted voice said as its golden-armored source landed softly in front of him, "I never liked you."

Sho, who had been closing in with the intent of giving Grune the same treatment he'd given Alluro way back when, had essentially turned his back on Lisker to prevent his friend and his first mentor on Third Earth from being murdered in cold blood.

_Not AGAIN!_ he'd thought, preparing the pressure cannon to put an end to Grune's days when the sensor medals had shown him Lisker preparing to fire and Grune's arm falling free of his body.

"Lisker," he said, wary as he landed next to the other Guyver. "What the hell..."

"I have my reasons," Lisker replied sharply.

"Uh-huh." _(I have a good notion of what those are, too.)_

_(Think what you want, kid, but don't think I'll care.)_

Grune lay writhing and twisting on the ground, the ruined stump of his arm still smoking and sizzling.

"What now?" he asked. "Why didn't you kill him?"

"I wanted to," Lisker said, "but he's not worth it. Besides, I got a look at what's left of the Mutants. We might have bigger fish to fry."

"_TRAITOR!_" Grune bellowed between howls of agony.

"This coming from someone who held the survivors of his own race in chains?" Lisker replied, his voice sardonic. "Besides, you deserved every bit of that."

"What did you mean by us having bigger fish to fry?" Panthro asked, helping Cheetara to her feet and holding her steady, Sho strode over to where Grune's mace lay and hurled it out of sight, grasping arm and all. He focused the sensor medals, beholding the raw wound left in the soil by Lion-O's ferocious attack, and identified a solid horde of Mutants gathering.

"They're regrouping," Sho replied. "After what just happened, I don't think it's for another wave."

"Panthro, come in!" Bengali's voice shouted over the commlink. Panthro, still holding Cheetara upright, guided her over to the ThunderTank as Lion-O finally rose to his feet, though still unsteady. Cheetara patted the larger Thunderian on his shoulder and told him to go on.

"Go ahead!" he said, his words clipped as Sho looked her over. Cheetara's eyes were still squeezed shut, and he saw several whirling energies behind them.

_(Her optic nerve's damaged,)_ he heard Lisker in his mind. _(I don't know how bad.)_

"The Mutants are massing for a charge to the ships!" Bengali said back. Sho gasped involuntarily. "The Ravager's still on the ground!"

"What the hell's taking Tygra so long?" Lion-O wondered aloud as he made his way to Cheetara and held her to him. Sho focused once again, zeroing in on the Ravager.

"There's a lot of bio patterns aboard," he informed Lion-O, "I think... Yeah, Tygra's one of them." _So's Myrlha,_ he added, making sure not to transmit that thought to Lisker.

"How many are there?!" Panthro shouted, meaning the Mutants.

"Still several hundred," Lynx-O's voice said in response. "Our weapons are exhausted from strafing their motor pool, and the Gomplins are currently being re-armed."

"Turmagar here," the Tuska said over the open frequency. "Sho and that other Guyver blasted a nice corridor for us to flank the Mutants, and that last attack has them on the run, but we're not close enough to have any real effect on them."

"They're really beating feet, too," Pumyra added last. "If they get to those ships, it's all over!"

_Lion-O's too wasted to pull another rabbit out of his hat,_ Sho thought. "Looks like it's up to me this time."

"Sho?" Lion-O asked, gazing at him quizzically before his eyes widenend in realization.

"Yeah. We have to take them out in one shot, and I can do it."

"Go to it, then," Lion-O said before turning to Guyver Two.

"You don't think I'm gonna let him hog all the action, do you?" Lisker said in reply to the unasked question.

"We have to clear out," Panthro said, guiding Cheetara to the ThunderTank. "I don't know what two of those things going off will do, and I don't want to find out first-hand."

"Turmagar," Lion-O said as he eased into the seat, "pull your forces out, fast as you can!"

"I heard. That chest beam?"

"It's gonna be huge," Panthro answered, "clear out!"

"Understood!" The ThunderTank's engine caught, rear treads spewing blood-soaked dirt as the two Guyvers ascended.

"We'll keep tabs on the Mutants," Bengali's voice said over the commlink, "And keep an open line with Tygra."

"Go high, ThunderStrike," Lion-O said as his hand found Cheetara's. "Don't let yourselves get caught in that blast!"

"Tygra here," he said, keeping his tone hushed. No point in letting the Mutants on board know a ThunderCat had arrived.

"Get the ships airborne as fast as you can!" Lynx-O's voice came from the comm circuit. He heard the nervous tension beneath the Lynx's calm words and sudden nightmare scenarios began to play in his mind. "The Mutants are headed directly for you!"

"What happened?" he heard Myrlha ask, her voice high and frightened. Every eye was locked on the hilt of his bolo whip.

"Lion-O called an immense amount of power from the Eye, and did incredible damage to the Mutant forces. The remainder are currently running like mad for the ships!"

"How many?"

"Several hundred."

Tygra bit back a curse. Barely. "How far away?"

"They shall arrive in approximately fifteen minutes, however Guyvers one and two are enroute to intercept them."

"Can they stop that many?" Laheela asked.

"They plan to use their megasmashers to end the Mutant advance."

Tygra did a few quick calculations given the information he had gathered on that weapon. "The energy discharge could affect the ship's systems if they fire too close."

"Unfortunately, Sho and Lisker must get as close to the ships as they can to have adequate time for their megasmashers to charge."

"We can repair any damage to the..."

"Many of the Mutants have long-range weapons at hand," Lynx-O said, cutting Torr off. "If enough flank the two Guyvers and use those weapons on the aft star-drives, the main reactors could be adversely affected."

His mind felt as though it had gained crystal clarity. Sho and Lisker would wait until the absolute last second to fire. If the ships were not airborne beforehand, and a good several meters off the ground, there was a chance that the reactor onboard would be affected by the energy discharge of the megasmashers. Though heavily sheilded, Mutant reactor technology (or any in general) was prone to unforseen mishaps. If nothing else, the ship's stabilizers could become inoperative. Things had gotten to the wire, and in a way that none of them could have expected.

"You must get those ships underway!"

"Understood! Tygra out." On ending the comminique, Tygra readied his whip. Time was almost up. "Listen to me. I'll go and clear the path to the bridge. Once the outer guards are distracted, fire on anything that moves and don't worry about me! I'll be out of the way once the shooting starts." Torr nodded once before passing the word forward. He wasted no more words, already feeling time slipping faster and faster as the whip circled and bent the dim lighting around his body. He called upon every ounce of discipline he possessed, forcing himself to ignore the ragged condition of his countrymen. To put from his mind the oncoming horde of surviving Mutant soldiers. All that mattered was the mission. That was all he could let matter now.

_They're like a freakin' tsunami,_ passed across Sho's mind as he angled around the swarming mass of flesh below. Lisker kept parallel to him on an arc around the other side of the rushing horde, so as not to tip the Mutants off to what was about to happen.

_(What do you know about their technology?)_

_ (Aside from what I could figure out, not a hell of a lot.)_

_ (Whatever. Just remember that we have to give Tygra as much time as we can!)_

_ (Don't shoot 'till you see the whites of their eyes.)_

_ (What?!)_

_ (Not too big on westerns, are you?)_

They came to a halt a scant ten meters distant from the Ravager's port side. The pounding of hundreds of pairs of Mutant feet sent up a fair cloud of dust, their panicked roars and bellows approaching before them. Sho felt the power gather in his chest, the megasmasher's twin lenses beginning to heat with the accumulating power.

"They see us, and they're gonna rush us anyway," Sho said with a mixture of disbelief and disgust.

"They're in full panic-mode," Lisker replied from his right. "Not thinking straight. They're thinking that pure numbers can overwhelm us."

"If Lion-O hadn't pulled that huge number with his sword, they might have."

Lisker did not reply to that. His calm outer mask hid the anxiety, a thing more alien to him that the organism he now wore, over how this had turned out. He'd had no clue the ThunderCat leader could call on that kind of raw power. The outcome of his plan had, therefore, been radically altered.

He had heard, via the wrist-comm Sho wore outside the Guyver, about what might happen if the Ravager was still dirt-bound when they fired. As his own megasmasher neared peak charge, he thought of Maria. Once just a handy catspaw, she had become far more to him over their time together.

_(Kid.)_

_ (What?)_

_ (Want to know something?)_

_ (Is this _really _important?!)_

_ (Look over there.)_

_ (Huh... OH!)_

In the distance, and directly in their line of fire, was Fortress Plun-Darr itself. Lisker allowed himself a grim smile beneath the Guyver's protective shell.

_(Full circle...)_

Lisker waited, but no explanation was forthcoming from Sho's mind.

The single corridor which led to the bridge seemed choked with reeking Simians and Scavengers, each holding beam rifles trained at the bend behind which his people were crowded. Tygra was acutely aware of each second that passed as he chose his first target. When the moment came, the two Guyvers would have to fire and if the ship's reactor had even a small fault in its shielding then the whole area could end up as a crater which marked where the final battle between ThunderCat and Mutant on this world had ended in the complete annihilation of both. Either one side would emerge to carry the day or niether would.

It all depended on him. It was something he'd kept secret for a good reason.

Tygra struck on reaching the end of the column of Mutants. He reached out and grasped the Simian about the jaw and the back of his head before twisting with a savage jerk to the sound of vertebrea snapping. Before the body fell he lashed out at a Scavenger with a blow that collapsed his trachea just as the Mutants began to realize something was horribly wrong. Another Scavenger found the short dagger he wore strapped across his thigh wrenched from its sheath before it plunged into his heart. Tygra dropped prone to the floor once the remaining Mutants brought their weapons to bear and his countrymen emerged from around the bend.

There was no chance for the Mutants which had held the bridge. Their attention diverted, bolts of green light burned through their chests, heads, arms, anywhere that energy met flesh. The barrage ended as abruptly as it began, leaving the Mutant defenders as lifeless piles of limbs.

_The door hasn't opened,_ he thought on rising. Tygra rushed to the control panel set into the wall at the right and keyed in the command sequence to unseal the bridge. No bolts of ionized death answered the opening of the door, no shouts of surprised outrage. Tygra leapt forward onto the bridge and confirmed that no Mutants were present.

"_Clear!_" he shouted, removing the whip from his body and rushing to the central control surface just ahead of the Captain's seat. Laheela charged in just a few seconds later and made a mad dash to the chair. The Wollo was just behind Myrlha and Torr, the latter two dashing to the stations to his left and right. "Main computer coming online!" he barked as his fingers flew over the buttons.

"I'm putting in the codes now!" Laheela shouted, her fingers flying over the controls which resided in the armrests of the seat she now sat in. "One minute!"

_Down to eight,_ Tygra thought, forcing himself to think past the mounting fear. "Main reactor coming online!" All power systems appeared nominal, he noticed with some relief, but that still did not change the fact that he was dealing with Mutant technology. It was not always reliable.

"First code accepted! Inputting second!"

"Sensor array online!" Myrlha shouted from his right. "Main screens coming up!"

"Energy reading detected... _SHIT, THAT'S HUGE!_" A portion of the main forward viewer deviated from the image of the area ahead to show Guyver One and Guyver Two standing far closer to the Ravager than Tygra liked as streams of data scrolled along one side of the quadrant. "Reading is steady at over four thousand gigajoules!"

_That's some serious boom,_ Tygra thought as time crept inexorably toward the moment of truth. "Inertial dampeners up! Stabilizers online! Lift thrusters powering up! Three minutes until takeoff!"

"_CODES ACCEPTED!_" Laheela shrieked from the command chair. "Starsweeper, Pillager, and Bludgeon all preparing for launch!"

"How long?!"

"Seven minutes! Contorls transferred to main panel!"

_Not enough time._ Tygra worked the new displays on the console before him furiously. "Overriding safety protocols for the other ships! Launch in sixty seconds!" The deck plating beneath his feet began to tremble as the Ravager prepared to lift off.

"_HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!_" Kyranna shouted to his countrymen still outside.

"We're up!" Myrlha shouted. "Two meters... five meters... twelve meters!"

"Mutants eighteen meters away! They're firing!"

_For all the good that'll do them,_ Tygra thought. He opened an outside voice channel. "We're clear! Sho, Lisker, _FIRE!_"

Sho snatched open the breastplates to expose the blinding glow of the megasmasher beneath just as Lisker did. Some of the charging Mutants tried to skid to a stop only to be trampled and crushed by others of the crazed horde, clearly seeing the trap they'd fallen into. He fought down the irrational urge to cry out "You are the weakest link! GOOD-BYE!" just as the both of them unleashed a combined destructive force that surpassed anything the invaders from Plun-Darr could have conceived.

Maria stared at the screen with rapt attention, fascinated at this new power the man she loved would display. She was not disappointed. Two twin bursts of light, pure and blinding, burst forth from their chests and joined together some ten feet from where the two Guyvers stood. The massive outpouring of force screamed its rage into the world as it scoured everything before it into nothingness. She noted just before its collapse into the raging stream of destruction the shape of Fortress Plun-Darr crumbling in on itself as the swath of light brought its wrath upon everything within eight miles of where the two men stood. She wanted to speak, yet her jaw was slack and her tongue dry at the untold destruction she witnessed. The ship rocked slightly from the hammering displacement of air that resulted from so much power ripping through it at one time.

_Lisker..._ Oddly enough, that light seemed to encapsule what they felt for each other within its hammering glare. No one, she was certain, could ever harm her so long as she was with him. That a man would unleash such untold destruction on her behalf and on that of a people neither were connected to, and her own people who would reject out of hand their love, bound her heart to his all the tighter.

_I love you so much._ There was absolutely no fear in her heart of him or of their future together. None whatsoever.

Laheela could only stare at the all-encompassing devastation in utter awe. She saw with her eyes the collapse of Fotress Plun-Darr, and felt the end of her oppressors in her innermost heart. A great weight, such that she never fully knew was there, began to slide off of her soul and with it came relief like none she had ever known. Tears began to sting her eyes at the sight of it, of what it truly meant, and she began to sob though she thought the act of crying to be impossible for her after all she had been through. Such happiness, always thought beyond her reach, brought her to her knees as he cried uncontrollably.

"Laheela?" Myrlha asked, darting over as she came to the hard deck.

"... Over..." she managed as a pair of arms encircled her. Blurred eyes opened to find Maria cuddled against her, the Wollo's hands stroking her hair lovingly. Laheela returned the embrace. "It's finally over...!"

"I told you..."

"Yes. Yes, you beautiful girl, you did," Laheela choked out, embracing the Wollo woman in her arms and already missing her. Maria would go where Lisker would, and Laheela was almost tempted to join them. However, with all her people in this hellhole now free, her place was with them. "I trust him, now." With that, Laheela placed her lips fully on Maria's, returning the gesture of kindness the Wollo had given her just before the battle had commenced. "I know he'll take good care of you."

"I do as well," Maria replied, somewhat breathless. "May you find one to love soon, Laheela."

"Please, Maria, give Lisker my thanks."

"I will."

Myrlha turned away from the scene of affection between Laheela and the Wollo, her thoughts having turned to the other of the two Guyvers who had battled for this moment alongside the ThunderCats. The cloud of dust which swirled in after the passage of that impossibly huge beam clouded the earth below as it stretched for an incredible distance toward the horizon. All the oblique references to parting shots Panthro had made to Sho during the voyage to this place, which Myrlha had discounted as "Man-Talk", were suddenly made clear and were left hollow by what she beheld. Mutters of amazement went past her, unheard as she tried to pick out some sign of him far below.

"The dust cloud is still filled with highly charged particles," she heard Lynx-O's voice say over the intership comm, disturbed with bursts of static. "The Braille Board is having difficulty penetrating it."

"How are you faring, ThunderTank?"

"We got a pretty good tailwind from that. Lifted the back of the tank, but we're all in one piece."

"We pulled back far enough," Turmagar's voice added to the conversation. "By all that's sacred, I've never seen such a blast!"

Myrlha studied the eddying clouds of dirt, searching for any sign of Sho. _Even the fortress itself,_ she thought, _erased from existence. What about him, though?_

"Overkill much?" she heard Bengali say over the open comm. It was still unreal to Pumyra even as she beheld the massive cloud of roiling dust. Several plumes mushroomed skyward from the site where Fortress Plun-Darr had once sat, each tinged with bright orange flame from secondary explosions.

"Looks like the Mutants had some more boom toys hidden in the catacombs," she said absently.

"Kinda like fireworks," Bengali's voice replied. Pumyra had to agree on some level with that. Each new burst seemed as though Third Earth was celebrating having the Mutant scourge that had caused so much pain and loss wiped from its surface.

_We did it!_ she silently cheered. She thought once more about her cub, and felt the tripwire tension finally begin to ease. Her baby would have a chance to grow up in a peaceful world after all. Or, at least as peaceful as Third Earth ever got.

_Tiger, have I got news for _YOU_!_ she thought, imagining Bengali's face once he finally knew.

"Great Jaga..." Despite the numbing exhaustion and the nerve-deep ache of his muscles, Lion-O could not help but gaze in awe at the swirling mass which concealed the utter immolation of all traces of Plun-Darr on Third Earth. _This is the power of the Guyver,_ he told himself. _Thank all that's good in the world that one of them's in Sho's hands._ "Cheetara?" He felt her hand on his shoulder as she rose in the rear compartment and looked down at her scrunched face as she slowly opened her eyes. "How is it?"

"All I can see is a huge blur."

"Not much to see anyhow," Panthro replied as he brought the ThunderTank to a halt. "Maybe we should've done this from the start?"

"Are your eyes getting better?"

"They still hurt, but I can see some. That's good news." She smiled, then, gentle and kind. "I'll be fine."

"Tygra here," the comm system squawked. "We'll procede to the rendevouz point."

"ThunderStrike departing as well," Lynx-O said.

"I'll start trioge once we're all on the ground."

"Pumyra, Cheetara's suffered an injury to her eyes."

"I'll tend to her as soon as I can."

"Understood," Lion-O replied. Pumyra was a healer before all else, he knew. "There are people on that ship in much worse shape."

"I know," Cheetara replied. "Thank you for not making that an order."

"I don't see him," Panthro said as he waved a hand at the finally-thinning barrier of minute particles. "He made it, right?"

"I don't see anything moving," Lion-O answered as the ThunderStrike roared by overhead. _Too late to have Lynx-O make another scan._

"I..."

"Cheetara?"

"I sense something... Yes, it's that presence," she continued, becoming more sure in her words. "But, only one."

"Which one?"

"I don't know, but it's coming toward us." Just then, a faint and ghost-like shadow appeared in the receeding dust, running toward them. Lion-O focused his eyes, making out the tips on the forearms and the curving fin on the head. A pale glimmer began to shine on the head, the control medal of whichever Guyver was charging in the direction of the ThunderTank.

The first hint of teal set their minds at immediate ease. Sho emerged into the full light of the morning just as the vents on his faceplate expelled twin jets of contaminants filtered from the air he breathed.

"_GOOD GOIN' KID!_" Panthro shouted as Sho closed the remaining distance with a leap which landed him into the ThunderTank.

"Man, I'm beat," he said, hunching down with his hands on his knees as he gasped for air. "Cheetara?"

"I'll be okay," she said, turning to look at him.

"Your eyes are getting better," Sho said as he locked his eyeplates on her. "Couple of days, you'll be fine."

"Huh?"

"You'd be surprised what I can see when I'm like this," Sho said with a chuckle. "No worries, Lion-O."

"Where's Lisker?" Panthro asked as he searched the skies for Guyver Two.

"No clue. If I'm still here, I know he is."

"Why did he help us?"

"Something's changed in him, Cheetara. I felt it. I'm not too sure what it is, but he's not the same guy who beat the crap outta me back at that gully."

"That Wollo?"

"I'm sure she has a lot to do with it," he said in answer to Panthro's question.

"Sho." Lion-O extended the hand which was not about Cheetara's shoulders. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," the bio-boosted human said as he took the proffered hand. "Justice. Truth. Honor. Loyalty. I may not be a ThunderCat, but I'll live by that code."

"You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you want," Lion-O said as the ThunderTank moved forward once more.

"Whatever it takes, Lion-O. You said it yourself, our fates are linked. I'll stay by your side."

"The Code really got under your skin, didn't it?" Panthro asked.

"It's not just the Code," Sho said as he disengaged the Guyver. He sagged only a little as the bio-booster armor left him. "You all gave me something I haven't had in a long time."

"What is it?"

"A reason to live, Cheetara. You don't know how good that feels."

Epiloge One: Tower of Omens

The days had passed with agonizing slowness since the other ThunderCats had departed on their mission to free those enslaved by the Mutant Army. Tensions had been high and tempers short as the waiting had grown into agonized fear. The silence from the comm system had become deafening in the rapidly shrinking confines of the control center and each watch shift had been faced with mounting dread.

WilyKit had the watch that shift. She tried to manipulate the threads between her fingers in the way Snarf had taught her so long ago, that stupid trick she could never get quite right. She cast the red yarn away with a snarl just as her brother walked in.

"It's not time for the shift change yet," she groused.

"Just thought you'd want some company, that's all," he said once Snarf and Snarfer emerged with a tray of cold sandwiches. "Maybe some food, too."

"Hmph."

"Look, I'm sorry I said you were being bitchy, okay? How many times do I gotta say it?!"

"We're all worried, Shneyarrfer," Snarfer said as he ambled over to where she sat. WilyKit leaned back, crossing her ankles on the control board which housed Lynx-O's full Braille Board. "But, hey, we've got a seriously big gun on our side."

"So do the Mutants," WilyKit said, worry clear in her words. "We all know what theirs did to ours."

"Aw, c'mon, sis," WilyKat said as he crossed the distance betwen them. He placed his hands on her shoulders and swiveled the chair towards him, her feet hitting the floor with a muted thump. "Don't be like that. This is getting on all our nerves."

"Besides," Snarf said once he set the tray of food on a side table that had been brought into the control room for the constant watches, "I'm sure Sho kicked that Lisker's slimy fucking butt all over the place, shnarrf sharf."

"_SNARF!_"

"_UNCLE!_"

"What, Snarf Shnarf?" Snarf asked as he looked around at the others. "I was Lion-O's nursemaid. I'm _entitled_ to the occaisional F-Bomb."

"Signal!" WilyKit hollered as the indicator light began to blink. She spun from her brother, fingers flying to isolate the transmission. "It's a Mutant transmission..."

"Well, they're gonna be on Mutant ships," WilyKat said. "Let's put it through."

"_TYGRA!_" they all exclaimed once his face came into view. Behind him were other Thunderians, all staring at the screen before them.

"Mission accomplished, kittens," he said with a broad smile on his face. "We're coming home!"

"_YA-HOOO!_" WilyKit cried, leaping from the chair to embrace her brother. The twins spun about as the snarves hooted their elation, WilyKat spinning his sister about.

"WE DID IT!"

"We'll be home in a few days," Tygra said from the monitor. "I trust you can keep the Tower in one piece untl then?"

"We'll have everything ready, Shnarrrf," Snarf said before Tygra clicked off.

"See?! No worries..."

WilyKit stepped back from him with a haughty snort.

"Look..."

"Y'know," she said before turning a kind gaze upon her brother, "I never could stay mad at you for long."

"Well..."

"But, this isn't over." She stalked up to him, eyes still ablaze. "You're not off the hook just yet, Bro."

_Yeah,_ he thought, _I'm boned._

Epilogue Two

_Just barely escaped..._ Grune tromped along the blasted pain of the desert which would have been the staging ground for his conquest. Blasted and barren, it seemed to be some sort of cosmic fate. In his first life on Third Earth, total dominion had been denied him by a Guyver. Here and now, that same fate seemed to have played out again.

_I'm still alive this time._ Grune sat himself down on a handy boulder before surveying his severed right stump with trepidation. He reached into his belt for the blend the Warrior Maiden Neela had taught him on his first life here. So young and trusting, that one, she had given him many of that tribe's healing secrets. So willing, as well, having shared his bedding several times before he'd slit her throat. She'd trusted him to be the man of her dreams, and that delusion had proven quite useful.

He grasped the vial he'd secretly prepared in his teeth and snapped it open with a jerk. He squeezed the tube slightly before spreading the balm on his stump as fast as he could.

"_GGRRRRAAAAAAGH!_"

His cry of agony souned flat across the blasted plains, but the salve would protect against infection. Grune was still alive. Arm or no arm, killing Lion-O was still a possibility.

Given that fact that two Guyvers were on the loose, though, it was a remote one.

_Those can't be the only ones. There must be more. I just have to find one..._

Epilogue Three

They began to assembe on the grasslands which had been chosen for their rendevouz point, the battered and beaten Thunderians gathering among the Wollos. The Brute Men, given their simple natures, had blended into the wood several meters distant without even a word as they began the trek to their homelands.

Lion-O watched as Pumyra and Tygra began inspecting the rescued slaves, dashing about among them. Cheetara sat at his right atop the hood of the ThunderTank, still blinking her eyes clear.

"We did it," he said absently, as though she herself could not completely believe it.

"We did. It's over." Lion-O, despite the confidence in his voice, could not help silently adding "For now" at the end of that. "How're your eyes?"

"Still getting better," she replied with a hand on his arm. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. It's not like you should mistrust Pumyra after all."

"I know." He watched as Pumyra, along with Tygra and Sho, were escorting Thunderians off of the Ravager and into areas where the two ThunderCats could perform a proper trioge. Myrlha was helping Bengali and Lynx-O pass out nutrient bars to their countrymen, along with water and comforting hands to the Wollos that had been enslaved as well.

"Go to them," she said, her voice all business. "You're not just Lord of the ThunderCats anymore. A king has to go among his people."

"I'll be back."

"I know."

Sho could not recall having ever rode higher. A massive enemy force had been defeated, peace was assured, and he had been part of it. He felt as if he would explode from the positive feelings racing through his body as he grasped the slightly trembling arms of an aged Tyger.

"Thank you," the elder man said as he squinted against the sun. "Never thougt I'd see such a thing as a free man again."

"It's a new day for everyone, sir," Sho replied as they stepped onto the grass of the veldt in which their forces had assembled.

"You were the blue one?" he asked, back straightening and a kindly smile on this lined face.

"Yes, sir. I know," Sho said with a chuckle, "you thought I'd be taller."

"Quite perceptive," the Tyger said.

"Not really. I've gotten the short joke treatment before."

"Professor?!" Both turned at Pumyra's startled shout and the Tyger's smile broadened.

"Pumyra," he said as Sho followed him over to where the healer stood in seeming shellshock. "Seeing you does these old eyes such good."

"You, uh... know each other?" Sho asked lamely, reminded that these weren't his people.

_They could be..._ he realized. _Different outside, but isn't it what's inside that counts?_

"Professor Siberias was my mentor back in med school," Pumyra said, removing her amazed eyes from her teacher, "and dean of the Royal Medical Academy."

"Y'mean you're a..."

"A ThunderCat, yes." Siberias placed a hand on Sho's shoulder, his grip surprisingly firm. "Though I haven't worn an insignia for a long time. Now," at this the aged Tyger squared his shoulders and started forward, "I believe you could use some help with trioge and treatment."

"Professor..."

"I haven't been a professor in a long time," Siberias said, cutting off Pumyra's protest, "though I've never stopped being a healer. Besides, doctors make the worst patients."

"Rule Forty-Seven," Pumyra laughed, "Since I know I can't talk you out of it, let's get you a scanner."

"Scanner!" Siberias scoffed with a friendly arm about Pumyra's younger shoulders. "In my day, we had to check pulses with fingers!"

"I so missed that!"

Sho turned and loped back up the ramp into the Ravager to join Lion-O at the top.

"Come to meet more of your countrymen?" The question caught him completely off guard and left him gaping.

"Wha...?"

"With everything that's happened, you've earned a place among us. Didn't I tell you that?"

"Not in so many words..."

"Well, I'm saying it here and now."

Sho's smile faded as a presence pressed against his mind.

"Look who's here," Panthro said as he exited the ravager just behind a group of kittens who were being led by an older one. The Panther's face grew tight as Sho turned to find Lisker, still armored he noticed with some trepidation, setting down just at the edge of the gangway.

Maria, on seeing Lisker's airborne approach, immediately began to furtively dash between the taller Thunderians toward the forest outside of which the ships had set down. Her jacket flapped at the bottom as her legs carried her toward a gap between the Ravager and another of the huge green vessels.

"Have you even lost your modesty?" Ramon's voice brought her up cold. Maria turned to find him staring at her, flanked by her mother and father who both gazed on their oldest daughter with disappointment writ large on their faces.

_Damn you, Ramon!_ she thought.

"That human," her father began, "has filled your head with nonsense." He shook his head, a ringlet of white hair leaving his scalp exposed. "I know he took your maidenhood..."

"Lisker took nothing I didn't freely give," she said simply. "My body, my heart, all of me. I will always love you, Father, Mother, but I love him as well." Maria managed not to flinch at the looks of dismay on their faces. "I cannot be with Ramon, please understand that."

"Don't do this," her mother pleaded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Humans and Wollo's cannot love each other!"

"Lisker and I do." Maria turned about once more, unable to take the prolonged good-bye Ramon had forced her into. "I know you don't understand, but I do. I will miss you."

Ramon could scarcely believe his eyes as Maria charged between the Mutant ships and vanished around their tail sections. He'd thought that making her face her parents with her foolish desires would bring her around, not spur her on!

"Maria...!"

"Don't," her father said as he placed an arm against Ramon's chest.

"Aren't you going to follow her?!" he demanded, indignant.

"Where she's going," her mother said, "none of us can follow."

Lisker locked his eyes on Sho as the young Japanese man stepped down the ramp with pure fire in his eyes. He made sure none of his thoughts escaped into whatever strange either which linked their minds, that his state of mind remained cold.

"Lisker," Sho said once they were standing only a few feet apart. The taller American ignored the mixed bag of stares ranging from awed to frightened all the way to mistrustful and even angry.

"Save it, kid," he snarled before Sho could continue. "I don't give a flying fuck what you're thinking, I didn't do this for you. This," he waved an armored arm in a semicircle about him, "doesn't change a damn thing between us." What Sho didn't need to know, however, was that something between them had changed. The knowledge, Lisker was certain, would not improve the kid's opinion of him.

"If you've got something against me, fine." His tone was hard, unyeilding, the blue eyes glaring directly into his own. What burned within them reminded Lisker of himself so long ago. "But leave her out of it!"

"No promises," Lisker lied, making damn sure that little nugget of insight stayed tight within his head. "Train hard, kid. I'm gonna come back for you one day, and you better be ready." Lisker shot upward into the brightening day, already searching for Maria and finding her charging toward the treeline. He had to make sure the kid stayed with them, that he let them make him stronger. The ThunderCats, he realized, had given him so much strength, and Lisker wanted Sho to fulfill his potential.

It was the only way he'd know for sure which was truly the better of the two Guyvers.

Maria had entered the trees an hour before spotting a likely wooden candidate for climbing. In her childhood, she had been told that the least safe place for a Wollo to be while in the wood was on the ground. Though she knew the lesson had been meant to keep her out of the forests and away from predators who stalked them, Maria had always been somewhat headstrong when it came to her elders. She had learned how to climb quickly, and her bare feet were able to find sufficient purchase on the rough bark as she rose to a limb which looked thick enough to support her. She sat on it, ignoring the bark which dug into her bottom, and looked upward expectantly. Her parents, Ramon, they were wrong. Everything all her elders had ever said about humans were wrong, at least as far as Lisker was concerned.

She still fumed over Ramon's audacity, and sheer stupidity, over the stunt he'd pulled with her parents. Any lingering amiable feelings she had for her former suitor had been blown away by the example of just how far he was willing to go to have her.

_To control me,_ she corrected herself. Maria shook her head, clearing the noisome Wollo from her thoughts before closing her eyes for a moment. She had yet to sleep, her body seemed to now be reminding her, for just over a day. Adrenaline could only sustain her for so long, she knew...

Her eyes snapped open suddenly to be greeted by Lisker floating effortlessly in front of her.

"Didn't mean to startle you," his distorted voice said as she brought her triphammering heart back to normal operating speed.

"I shouldn't have dozed off like that, in a tree no less!" With a playful smile, she pushed off of the branch to land in Lisker's arms. She embraced him fiercely, the distance between them and the ground only a small part of the reason why, and kissed the faceplate of the armor. "Have I ever told you that the Guyver tastes just awful?"

"Next time you lay one on me, it won't be in the way," Lisker replied as the trees blurred and open sky welcomed them. Maria looked all around her, seeing her world from such heights for the first time. Not even the tallest trees she had ever climbed had ever afforded such a vast, panoramic view as this!

"Thank you, Lisker," she said, her voice strangled by the pure emotions the view and her own heart set running crazy in her mind. "For everything."

"I should be saying that to you. In fact, I did."

"So, where do we go from here, my heart?"

"Your heart, am I?"

"As I am yours, you are mine."

"Can't argue with that logic," Lisker said with a light laugh. "Truth be told, I have no idea where to go from here. Somewhere we can make a life." He shifted her so that she was cradled in his powerful arms and held against his armored chest.

"Out there," she said, pointing northward, "thattaway."

"You got it."

Epilogue Four

The sun, after a day of joy and pure unbridled mayhem, was beginning to set as Myrlha cradled the cup of steaming coffee in her hands and walked about the makeshift campsite.

"I'm sorry about the men you lost," she overheard Lion-O say to Turmagar as the two of them stood by one of the many campfires which were being lit.

"We are soldiers, my friend," the Tuska commander replied, "warriors. There is no higher honor than to fall in battle."

Myrlha tuned their words out, seeking the only human amid all the refugees and wondering how someone who stood out so much could be so damn hard to...

She caught a glimpse of him as he ducked behind the ThunderStrike's right pod and smiled to herself as she followed. Myrlha had wanted the chance to speak to Sho alone since the battle's conclusion, and opportunity had just come a-knocking. The Cougress eased around the front of the pod in time to see Sho lean back against the white metal with a weary groan.

"Guess using that Guyver thing really takes it outta you," she said, drawing nearer to him as he looked over at her.

"Shows, huh?" he asked with a lopsided grin. He looked at her, his expression softening. Myrlha tried to push aside the feelings that were welling up inside, tried to tell herself that he was a human, that...

"Taking a break?" She kept her tone light, informal.

"I think we've all earned one today."

"Don't I know it," she replied, leaning against the pod as well.

"So..."

"Yeah..."

The small talk had dried up, she realized. She reached a hand to him, cupping the back of his neck and all the rationalizations flew out the window. Myrlha began to draw him toward her, Sho complying as they came closer. Those feelings she tried to keep from her rational thoughts burst forth with one simple realization.

_I love this man_, she thought.

For Sho, looking up into Myrlha's cat-like eyes, it was akin to some of the movies he had seen thousands of years ago where the hero and the heroine come together. One difference, and it was major, was that he was the hero this time. He thought briefly of Mizuki, her laugh, her smile... and he finally kept the promise she'd extracted with her dying words.

Sho, at long last, let Mizuki go.

_I want this. I want HER._

Their lips met, both seeming to melt into the other. Of all the circumstances he'd ever imagined his first real kiss to come about, none of them came anywhere close to this one moment. Whatever fears or reservations he had about falling for another were blasted away as fireworks went off in his mind and his hands traced up Myrlha's back.

_I love this woman_, he thought as their kiss deepened, as did their bond.

"Sho..." Bengali said, turning the corner and coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of them entwined. "Know what? It can wait," he finished as he shook his head and turned about. "Nice catch, by the way."

"Find him?" Tygra asked as he joined his fellow Tyger.

"He's... busy," Bengali replied, jerking a thumb behind him. Tygra leaned around the ThunderStrike's pod and his eyes widened considerably.

"Busy," Tygra said as he joined Bengali and the two walked quickly away. "That's what you call it?"

"They make a pretty cute couple."

"I have to agree with you there."

"It still doesn't seem real," Bengali said. "I mean, think about it. We're a people again!"

"Yes, we are, and I have a strong feeling," he said, pointing to where Lion-O was still moving about his people. His injured, hopeful people, "that we'll have a good king." Cheetara was at his side, bandages wrapped about her head to hold the gauze Pumyra had placed over her eyes. "And many worthy heirs as well."

"Pumyra told me Cheetara's optic nerve was just overloaded. She'll be fine."

"And, perhaps, we all will as well. Given time."

The war is over, but the story far from told. Menaces both new and old still lurk in the distance of time, and many questions still remain. Who sent the satellite which even now steals data from the Tower of Omens? What of the prophecy which is now in Mumm-Rana's hands? What will happen with Lisker and Maria? What challenges will the Thunerians face as they strive to establish a home?

All this and more in the first episode of "Eye of the Storm", the next part of the saga of the ThunderCats and the Guyver.

What a long, strange road it's been! I want to thank all of you for sticking with me for so long, and for your patience. I hope you enjoyed One Last War to Fight, and I hope you like Eye of the Storm as well. Catch ya on the flip!

Knight Writer


End file.
